Harry Potter and the Dominus Potion
by Winky and Dobby
Summary: Fifth year. Harry and co. start a new class, Malfoy is up to something, and major foof ensues. R/H and H/G (duh!)
1. Prologue-Ch. 1: The First Lesson

Harry Potter and the Dominus Potion by Winky and Dobby  
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and co. are the property of J. K. Rowling and Scholastic. We own nothing, though we'd love to get our hands on any or all of the Weasley boys. This story is the product of boredom during a ballroom dancing class, reminiscing about the Yule Ball in Book Four, a bunch of late nights, and a few too many peanut M&Ms.  
  
Prologue: The Announcement  
  
The four tables in Hogwarts' Great Hall buzzed with excitement as the last students straggled in from their classes. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, having just survived another harrowing session with Professor Snape, slid into their usual seats with the Gryffindors just in time to see Professor Dumbledore step forward from the head table.  
  
"Ooh, you three barely made it in time for the big announcement," whispered Nearly Headless Nick dramatically, hovering near Harry's ear. "This is going to be so entertaining!"  
  
Harry looked questioningly at Ron. "What's going on?" Ron shrugged and started to reply but was interrupted by Hermione's elbow nudging him in the ribs.  
  
"Would you two be quiet?" she chided. "We're about to find out."  
  
Dumbledore held up his hands and the remaining whispers died down.   
  
"Good evening, students. Before we begin dinner I have a short announcement which I am sure you will all be glad to hear. I am very pleased to report that last year's Yule Ball was such a success that the staff and I have decided to make it an annual tradition." Most of the students cheered at this happy bit of news, but Harry only exchanged a nervous glance with Ron. Neither had quite forgotten their experience from the previous year.  
  
When the commotion died down Dumbledore continued.   
  
"Much as that may please you, I have another announcement which I think at least half of you will find very appealing." He smiled mysteriously and Harry could tell his eyes were twinkling. "Since some of you seemed to have a bit more trouble than others negotiating the dance floor,"--his kind gaze swept briefly in Neville's direction--"Professor McGonagall has agreed to conduct a course on the finer points of dance. Those of you who plan to attend this year's Ball would be well advised to take advantage of this opportunity. Now, I can see you're anxious to discuss this matter with your friends, so without further ado, let dinner begin."  
  
There was a flurry of noise as the dinner dishes appeared and everyone began talking at once. Harry noticed that most of the girls looked extremely excited, but he gathered that Neville's miserable expression mirrored his own. He turned to Ron with a weak attempt at a smile.   
  
"Well, how bad could it be?" Arms crossed, Ron raised his eyebrow and stared back at him fixedly. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Harry sighed.  
  
Hermione was eyeing them both with a mixture of amusement and incredulity. "What is wrong with you two?" she demanded. "I think this class could be a lot of fun." The boys were unconvinced, and Hermione sighed and turned to Harry. "Don't you see? This is your chance to learn so you don't have to worry about embarrassing yourself. Isn't that what you were so afraid of last year?"   
  
Harry nodded reluctantly. "I guess you're right," he agreed with more optimism than he felt.  
  
"Of course I'm right," Hermione smiled. She noticed Ron's skeptical frown and waved a finger at him defiantly. "You'll see." The redhead made a face at Harry, but wisely opted to keep his comments to himself.  
  
Chapter 1: The First Lesson  
  
On Friday afternoon Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in the hallway outside the classroom where the dreaded dance lessons were about to begin. The tables and chairs had all been removed to make a large dance floor, and Harry noticed with dismay that the walls were lined with floor-length mirrors all around the room.  
  
"Great!" he muttered to Ron. "Now everyone will have a perfect view of our mistakes!"  
  
Ron looked a little green. "Maybe we should just forget the Ball. That way we wouldn't have to be here at all." He brightened a little at this new idea. "It wasn't much fun last year, anyway."  
  
Harry had to agree with that, but Hermione had overheard and stepped in front of them before they could turn away.   
  
"What are you talking about? You can't miss the Yule Ball just because you're afraid of a few silly dance steps! Now come on, we're going to be late." She tugged on their robes to make them follow, ignoring their gloomy expressions. "Honestly!" she murmured to herself, "You'd think they were about to face their doom against You-Know-Who!"  
  
They entered the classroom to see that all of the Gryffindor fourth through seventh years were already assembled before Professor McGonagall. Unfortunately, so were the students from Slytherin. Harry groaned. He really did not need Malfoy taunting him on top of everything else.  
  
Ron was looking meaningfully at the Slytherins and glaring at Hermione. "Oh, yeah, this is a great idea!" he hissed at her peevishly. "Another class with Malfoy--good one, Hermione!"  
  
"How was I to know we'd be stuck with them?" Hermione retorted crossly, moving to stand with Ginny, Neville, and the other Gryffindors.   
  
"All right, class." Fortunately, Professor McGonagall called them to order before the argument got any worse. "Today we're going to learn the basic steps to the waltz. But first, we have to arrange partners."   
  
The students shifted with unease, eyeing each other warily. Draco Malfoy snickered as several Gryffindor girls inched away from Neville, and Hermione shot him an evil scowl. Harry smiled sympathetically at Neville, noticing that Ginny stayed where she was, though she looked a little concerned for the welfare of her feet. When she caught him staring at her she ducked her head, and Harry quickly looked away. His thoughts turned wistfully to Cho Chang, and he wished that they were sharing the class with the Ravenclaws instead. But it occurred to him that Cho would be no more anxious than he to be here after everything that had happened last year, and Harry suddenly found it difficult to swallow. He blinked hard and tried to concentrate on what Professor McGonagall was saying.  
  
"In my experience people do not always choose the partners best suited to them," she smiled wisely, "and so to save time and embarrassment I will be assigning your partners for the class. Of course you are still free to choose your own dates for the Ball, should you decide to attend. We'll start with the Slytherins. Mr. Malfoy, please join Miss Parkinson..."  
  
Neville sighed with relief as McGonagall began pairing off students. "Thank goodness!" he whispered to Harry. "I'm such a horrible dancer no one would have picked me!"  
  
"You're not horrible, Neville," Ginny said kindly, touching his arm. "I had a nice time at the Ball with you." Neville's eyes lit up and he smiled gratefully at Ginny.  
  
"Don't worry, Neville," Ron added. "You can't be worse than me." He chewed his lip nervously. "I can't believe we're doing this." He glared at Hermione again for good measure.  
  
"I don't know why you're glaring at me, Ron," she snapped. "You're making this harder than it is."  
  
"Oh, that's fine for you to say!" Ron huffed. "The girls get the easy part. We're the ones who have to do all the work!"  
  
"What?" Hermione's voice rose slightly and she turned to face Ron more fully. "Easy? We have to keep our feet out of the way of clodhoppers like you!"  
  
Ron's ears flushed crimson. "Well too bad your boyfriend Vicky isn't here, then! You didn't seem to have any trouble with him!"  
  
"He's not my boyfriend!" Hermione bristled instantly. "I only went with him because--"  
  
"Ahem."   
  
Harry cringed as Professor McGonagall approached his bickering friends.   
  
"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley. Since the two of you seem determined to disrupt this class I think it fitting you should be paired together. Perhaps being partners will make you either set aside your differences or work them out. Now, step over here with the others, please."  
  
Subdued but still glaring, Ron and Hermione followed her instructions and took their place on the dance floor. They crossed their arms sullenly and refused to look at each other. Harry sighed. So far the class was not going well.  
  
Professor McGonagall had nearly finished pairing off the rest of the Gryffindors. With a few exceptions, everyone kept the partners they had taken to last year's Ball. Ginny looked very surprised when Neville was paired with Parvati, leaving only her and Harry without partners.  
  
"Miss Patil, I think Mr. Longbottom could benefit from a little guidance from you," McGonagall smiled, "which leaves Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley. Yes, you two seem very well matched." She clapped her hands together briskly. "Now, we're ready to begin as soon as my partner arrives for the demonstration. Why don't you all spread out around the floor and give each other some room."  
  
Harry took Ginny's hand timidly and led her off to one side, feeling very awkward. Ron was constantly teasing him about his little sister's crush on him, and the way Ginny's eyes refused to leave the floor made her look even more uncomfortable than Harry felt. He swallowed nervously and tried to think of something to say.  
  
"That was nice of you to make Neville feel better," Harry began at last, gesturing towards an equally apprehensive Neville.  
  
Ginny blushed and continued to stare at the floor. "Well, it was nice of him to ask me to the Ball," she managed to shrug. "I wouldn't have gotten to go otherwise."  
  
"Right," Harry said, feeling stupid. It occurred to him that he could have taken her to the Ball if he hadn't waited so long to ask someone. She wasn't Cho, but she was a sweet girl and he owed her family a lot. It wouldn't have hurt to do something nice for her. Harry straightened with new resolve. Maybe he could make it up to her by working extra hard in dance class. "Ginny?" he tapped her arm. "I'll try not to step on your feet."   
  
For a moment Ginny looked up at him with serious eyes. She shook her head earnestly, fiery hair shimmering across her shoulders. "I bet you can dance just as well as you play Quidditch, once you learn the steps," she offered with rare boldness before dropping her eyes again, pink-cheeked.  
  
Ginny's obvious faith in his abilities only made Harry feel worse. "I hope so," he replied. "For both our sakes."  
  
Just then the classroom door opened and Professor Dumbledore entered with a wide smile. "Ah, Professor McGonagall, I see the students are ready to begin. I hope I haven't kept you waiting."  
  
"No, no, you're right on time." Professor McGonagall returned his smile as he joined her in the middle of the floor. "Now, class," she began, "the Headmaster and I will demonstrate the correct dance form. It is very important that you and your partner maintain a steady dance frame--it makes the steps much easier." She turned to face Dumbledore and motioned the students to do the same with their partners. Ron and Hermione reluctantly complied, wearing matching sour expressions.   
  
"Gentlemen, take your partner's right hand in your left and place your right behind her left shoulder blade. Ladies, your left hand should rest on your partner's right shoulder, like so." Professor McGonagall stepped easily into position with Professor Dumbledore. "Remember, gentlemen, you will be guiding your partners with your right hand, not your left, so you must always keep a firm grip at her back."  
  
"Not a problem!" whispered Fred Weasley, winking devilishly at Angelina.   
  
Professor McGonagall flashed him a warning look and stepped away from Dumbledore. "Now, everybody practice the dance position while Professor Dumbledore and I come around the room and help you."  
  
Harry took a deep breath and turned back to Ginny. Fred and George had already grabbed their partners and begun waltzing in crazy circles in the corner, and even Malfoy stood smugly with his partner in a stiff embrace. At least Ron and Hermione looked equally uncomfortable. Harry smiled weakly at Ginny, whose eyes still seemed to be glued to the floor.   
  
"Ready?"  
  
Ginny nodded slightly and let him take her hand. He moved closer to rest his other palm against her back, and after a moment she let her arm fall gingerly into place below his shoulder. When Professor McGonagall came by to compliment them on their good form, Ginny at last seemed to find the courage to smile up at Harry for a brief moment. He wondered why he had never seen before how bright her eyes were.   
  
A few couples away, Ron and Hermione faced each other with clenched fists. Harry could hear them continuing their argument in heated whispers.  
  
"I can't believe I'm stuck with you!" Ron raked his fingers through his hair in exasperation, making it stick up almost as much as Harry's.  
  
"It wasn't my choice, either!" Hermione retorted irritably. "But I'm not going to let you ruin this class for me, so you better do like the Professor says. Give me your left hand."  
  
"Hey! I'm the leader here, not you!" Ron barked. "This is one time you can't boss me around! Now hold still!" He stepped closer to Hermione and took her right hand, pulling her swiftly into a fairly accurate rendition of the proper dance hold. Harry was surprised, and apparently so was Hermione. She blinked up at Ron with a strange expression on her face.  
  
"What?" Harry thought Ron's tone sounded even harsher than usual, which seemed odd compared to the way he was holding Hermione, as if afraid to touch her.   
  
Hermione shook her head. "Nothing."  
  
It was going to be a long term.  
  
  
Authors' Note: Will Ron and Hermione survive this partnership? Will the other Gryffindors survive another class with the Slytherins? Will this story ever be more than pure foof? Will Harry/Hermione fans ever grow a brain? Sorry, just kidding! Find out the answers to these and other pressing questions in the next exciting installment.  
  



	2. The Second Lesson

Disclaimer: Not ours. SOB!  
  
Authors' Note: Sorry about all the pesky asterisks. We couldn't get the file to save with italics. Stupid Muggle computers!  
  
  
Chapter 2: The Second Lesson  
  
Fortunately, everyone survived the first lesson with their friendships, spirits, and limbs mostly intact. The struggles of waltzing basics forced Ron and Hermione to give up their grudge and work together, and by the end of the lesson Ginny had overcome enough of her shyness to keep her eyes more often on Harry than her feet. Professor McGonagall seemed quite impressed with the results thus far, for even Neville was making rapid progress. After Harry's indifference at the Ball last year, Parvati was so thrilled to have an attentive partner that she went out of her way to help him.   
  
And so it happened that most of the students were looking forward to the lesson the following Friday, when Professor McGonagall promised they would be adding new steps to their repertoire. Harry's initial dread had faded with the relative success of the first class and he headed off for the second lesson in surprisingly good spirits. Ron was somewhat less enthusiastic, but at least Hermione did not have to resort to violence to make him attend.  
  
When they arrived at the classroom Harry quickly found Ginny while the other pairs spread out around the floor. Professor McGonagall began right away with a review of the basic steps before she and Professor Dumbledore demonstrated several fancy turns for the class. Then it was time for them to practice on their own.  
  
"Well, that didn't look too hard," said Harry optimistically. "Ready to give it a go?"  
  
Ginny was watching Professor McGonagall spin gracefully in the arch of Dumbledore's arm. Harry gave her a reassuring smile, and she swallowed and stepped into his arms. "I guess so."  
  
The students quickly discovered that imitating their professors' intricate footwork was more difficult than it appeared. They practiced dutifully for a quarter of an hour before Professor McGonagall was satisfied that they were ready for music. She waved her hands to the beat as the first notes sounded and nodded to them to begin. "Ready? And, one two three, one two three, one two three..."  
  
Harry found that the steady rhythm of the music helped him tremendously, and he felt more comfortable about leading Ginny when he didn't have to concentrate as hard on the steps. Ron seemed to be doing better also, and flashed Harry a pleased grin from across the room. Harry grinned back and decided to try out some turns, which Ginny managed with surprising ease. He was beginning to really enjoy himself when Ginny's foot caught on the heel of a passing dancer and she stumbled into Harry's chest.   
  
"Sorry," she said automatically, turning to see who it was.  
  
Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson were glaring down at them coldly, a matched pair of upturned noses--one pointy and one pug--high in the air.   
  
"Tell your *girlfriend* to watch where she's going, Potter," Malfoy sneered. He gave Ginny such a nasty look that Harry feared she might actually cry.  
  
"Leave her alone, Malfoy," he warned, tightening his arm around the tiny redhead. "She didn't do it on purpose." Harry suspected the same could not be said for the Slytherin couple, who merely smirked and continued on their way.  
  
"Sorry about that, Ginny," Harry apologized as they resumed their waltz.   
  
"It wasn't your fault," she said quickly, turning under his arm.  
  
"I should have been paying more attention," Harry insisted as he caught her again. "Besides, he was only being mean to you because of me."  
  
Ginny shook her head. "He hates my family, too, remember?" she pointed out.  
  
"I guess so," Harry sighed. "But he really has it in for me. I wish I knew what his problem is. Besides being an obnoxious git," he added darkly.  
  
Ginny studied him curiously for a moment. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked, her tone implying that it was. "He's jealous."  
  
Harry stared at her while they spun in a circle. "Jealous? But his family is rich and powerful and he has lots of friends. Well, if you count Crabbe and Goyle as friends."  
  
Ginny raised her eyebrows with a small smile. "But you're *Harry Potter*, expert Quidditch player, defeater of You-Know-Who, winner of the Triwizard Tournament. Of course he's going to be jealous."  
  
Harry stopped dancing and looked at her seriously. "You know, Ginny, I would trade all of that just to be normal and have a family like yours. Draco has no idea how lucky he is. If the Malfoys weren't evil I'd switch with him any day."  
  
"No you wouldn't, Harry," Ginny said quietly. "No you wouldn't." She took his hand again and began the waltz before he could reply, and after a moment Harry realized in spite of himself that she was right. He sighed and led Ginny towards the rest of the Gryffindors to see if Ron and Hermione had noticed the incident with Malfoy. But Hermione was absorbed in watching Dumbledore swing Professor McGonagall into a low dip.   
  
"That looks like fun," Hermione nodded her head at the two professors. "I wonder if we'll learn that step."  
  
"I don't know," said Ron shortly. "Right now I've got enough problems just with these." He scrunched his forehead in concentration, trying to avoid tripping over either of their feet as he steered them into a spiral.  
  
Hermione laughed. "It's not that bad. See, you're doing well so far. Isn't he, Harry?" Actually Ron had surprised everyone with his lack of mistakes, and Harry smiled in agreement.  
  
"Yeah, Ron, you've been holding out on us!" he teased. "You could have given me some pointers before I humiliated myself at the Yule Ball last year."  
  
Ron snorted, but Hermione turned back to him with sudden curiosity. "That's right!" she remembered. "You didn't dance at all last year. How come?"  
  
Ron's mouth dropped open for a moment before he stuttered out a reply. "I don't know. I just didn't feel like it." He looked down at his shoes. "I don't really know Padma very well and it would have been awkward I guess."  
  
Hermione shrugged. "Well then you could have just gone by yourself if you didn't need a dance partner."  
  
For some reason Ron didn't seem to find her observation very helpful. He quirked an eyebrow at Harry and shook his head in disbelief. "Oh yeah," he scoffed, "and look like a pathetic loser who couldn't find a date. That would have been *so* much better. I'll remember your suggestion next time I feel like a good dose of public humiliation."  
  
Hermione looked taken aback. "I wasn't saying you should have gone alone," she protested. "I just thought, well, you and Harry didn't seem too keen on finding partners is all."  
  
"That's because *some* of us were too busy thinking about keeping Harry alive to waste time flirting with potential partners," Ron said airily. Harry felt Ginny cringe and grimaced back at her. Another fight was coming on and he did not want to be in the middle of it.   
  
"What?" Hermione gasped, looking desperately to Harry for support. He shrugged apologetically and moved Ginny a little further away from the coming row.   
  
"I know what you're getting at, Ron Weasley!" Hermione continued, her eyes flashing. She finished the turn and faced him defiantly. "I was not flirting with Viktor! I was just as worried about Harry as you were. I never even would have gone to the Ball with him if someone else had asked me first!"  
  
"Oh, yeah?" Ron smirked, "Like who?"  
  
Hermione sniffed and tossed her head. "I would have gone with you or Harry if either one of you had had the sense to ask me. You could have spared yourselves a lot of grief. But *no*, you had to wait until the last minute hoping some perfect princess would save you the trouble. It's your own fault you had a miserable time!"  
  
Ron opened his mouth to retort and--WHAM!  
  
Harry was so caught up in watching Ron and Hermione's argument he never noticed Malfoy and Pansy cutting a swift path towards them across the dance floor. By the time he saw them coming it was too late to call out a warning. The Slytherins had wheeled past Ron and Hermione with a very unsubtle shove, sending them reeling to the floor in a tangle of robes. Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore halted in mid-spin as the music broke off abruptly, and the whole class turned to see what had happened.  
  
Ron was sprawled flat on his back on the floor, Hermione cushioned on top of him, her eyes wide. Ron must have tried to break her fall when he realized what was happening, but now he quickly disentangled his arms from around her waist to lift her off of him. His eyes blazed with fury as he stood and pulled Hermione to her feet. Harry saw her glance up at him a little fearfully.  
  
"Are you two all right?" Professor McGonagall asked worriedly. "What happened?"  
  
"It was an accident, Professor," drawled Malfoy with false regret before Ron could answer. "We were just practicing a turn and bumped into them. We're *really* sorry." The insincerity dripping from his voice made Harry want to vomit.  
  
"I'll show you sorry, you--!" Hermione grabbed Ron's arm to restrain him before he could explode at Malfoy as Harry and Ginny rushed over to help her.  
  
"I don't want this to happen again," Professor McGonagall warned sternly. "Be more careful in the future, Mr. Malfoy." Harry didn't think she actually believed him, but without having seen for herself she couldn't punish him. "That will be enough for today. Class dismissed."  
  
Ron was still fuming as they filed out of the classroom and headed back to the Gryffindor common room. Several people came up to see if he and Hermione were hurt, but Harry reassured them quickly and sent them away.   
  
"Ron?" he asked at last. "Are you going to say anything?"  
  
Ron stopped marching and whirled to face them with his fists clenched. "That spoiled, two-faced, slimy, rotten piece of filth!" he fairly shouted, trembling from head to foot with pent-up rage. "I ought to wipe that snotty smirk off his miserable face permanently! I swear I've had enough of his crap!" Ron's fist hit his palm with a loud smack. "Next time he tries something I'm gonna--"  
  
"Ron!" cried Ginny in horror. "You can't fight with him! You could get into serious trouble!"  
  
Harry was just as angry as Ron, but he realized Ginny had a point. The last thing they needed was another expulsion risk. He took a deep breath and nodded sadly. "She's right, Ron. We have to find some other way of making him pay. Come on," he gestured toward the door, "we can plot revenge over dinner."  
  
Ron's eyes brightened a little, but his scowl quickly returned. "I can't go down there just yet. I might kill the lousy git," he growled, pacing in front of the fireplace.  
  
"That wouldn't be such a bad thing," Hermione said darkly. She joined Ron by the fire, rubbing her shoulder where Malfoy had rammed them.  
  
Harry felt a twinge of guilt. He should have warned them about what had happened to Ginny earlier. He looked over at Ginny and could tell she was thinking the same thing.  
  
"Er, this will probably only make things worse," Harry began, "but right before we came over to talk to you Malfoy tried to trip Ginny." Ron and Hermione whirled to look at him. "We were coming to warn you," Harry added hastily, "but you were sort of arguing..." he trailed off lamely.  
  
Hermione glanced at Ron and blushed. He ignored her and turned back to Harry. "That's okay," Ron sighed. "Malfoy would have found some other way to be the lowlife dirty scab he is." He pounded the wall with his fist. "We've got to get him back for this one!"   
  
"But we can't," Hermione reminded him firmly. "At least not publicly. We'll just have to be more creative, is all." She twitched an eyebrow mischievously, and Harry smiled. Plotting revenge against Malfoy was almost as much fun as beating him at Quidditch.   
  
"Come on, Ron," Harry suggested, "let's go find Fred and George. I bet they'd have some good ideas." He tugged on Ron's arm to pull him toward the door. At last Ron nodded and returned a weak smile, and they headed down to dinner in search of the twins.  
  
  
  
Authors' Note: Will Malfoy ever get what's coming to him? Find out in Chapter 3!  



	3. The Third Lesson

Disclaimer: We own nothing.  
  
Authors' Note: Sorry again about the pesky asterisks. It's supposed to be italics.  
  
  
Chapter 3: The Third Lesson  
  
On Saturday morning Harry received a message from Hagrid inviting them for tea. The groundskeeper was obviously anxious to hear about the progress of their new class, and after Harry asked if Ginny could come along the four of them spent a pleasant afternoon in Hagrid's hut. The giant persuaded the two couples to demonstrate some of their new dance moves, much to his amusement, and as the children were leaving he pulled Harry aside.  
  
"Glad ter see yeh includin' little Ginny in yer group," the giant commented with a pleased smile. "She's a sweet girl."  
  
"Yes, she is," Harry agreed. They had never spent much time together before because of their different schedules, but now that they had something else in common he found her easy to talk to. He, Ron, and Hermione were all happy that she had joined their little triangle.  
  
"Watch out fer her in class, Harry." Hagrid grew somber. "No telling what that Malfoy brat'll do." Harry nodded. He already thought the same thing. "But remember what I said," Hagrid warned as Harry started to leave. "Let Malfoy get what he deserves on his own. I don't want yeh gettin' inter trouble over that worthless git."  
  
Despite Hagrid's words of wisdom, Harry and his friends couldn't help but scheme a little. Hermione pointed out that Ron would probably do something really crazy if they didn't try to distract him by plotting retribution, and the others had to agree. But by the time the next lesson rolled around they were still trying to come up with a plan of revenge that would not involve their expulsion from Hogwarts. Even the masters of mischief, Fred and George, had been unable to concoct a suitable punishment for Malfoy.   
  
Tension was thick in the classroom that Friday. Both the Gryffindors and Slytherins expected Ron to lose it completely if anything else happened, and apparently Malfoy was counting on it. As soon as the music started and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were occupied helping the students, he and Pansy began waltzing their way towards Ron and Hermione. Harry, Fred, and George had been watching Malfoy and quickly led their partners over as well. They formed a protective sort of ring around their friends, but they couldn't prevent Malfoy from hissing snide comments as he circled around them.  
  
Hermione eyed Ron nervously. "Just ignore him," she entreated. "We can't do anything yet, remember?" Ron didn't answer, and Harry saw her squeeze his hand. "You promised!"  
  
Watching from the corner of his eye, Harry could tell Hermione was keeping up a steady stream of chatter to draw Ron's attention away from Malfoy. Ron's face was carefully neutral, but Harry was sure he was leaving permanent finger marks on Hermione's back. He himself stepped on Ginny's feet several times, though she was too busy watching her brother to notice or care.  
  
"Hey, Weasel," Malfoy sneered, "looks like your sister managed to snag herself a *famous* boyfriend." He threw a poisonous glare at Harry, who was more than happy to return the favour. "Too bad you're not so lucky." His voice lilted tauntingly while he gave Hermione an appraising glance. "But don't feel bad--you still have Potter's leftovers."  
  
Hermione flushed redder than Ron's hair and her eyes narrowed dangerously, but she kept a firm grip on Ron and bit her tongue, steering them away from Malfoy. Harry quickly followed suit, wondering if he could prevent himself from pummeling Malfoy, much less Ron.   
  
On the pretense of conversing with Pansy, the Malfoy heir raised his voice for Ron to hear as they circled by.   
  
"Of course, this school has gone downhill since my father was here," he was saying with a melodramatic sigh. "Just look at the rubbish they let in these days. Take little Weasley here, for example. Why he even bothers to come to this class is beyond me. The only way he could get a date to the Ball is if he paid her." Malfoy smirked, letting his gaze sweep over Ron in mock sympathy. "Oh, wait, I guess that's not really an option." And he and Pansy both began to laugh.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy," growled Harry, catching the Slytherin's last comment. He and Ginny exchanged worried glances, though so far Hermione remained successful in her efforts to control Ron.  
  
"Don't let him get to you, Ron!" Harry heard her hiss through clenched teeth. "He's trying to get you in trouble!" Ron was staring straight ahead, his back to Malfoy and his whole body shaking with fury. His grip on Hermione's hand was so tight Harry wondered if she would have any feeling left in her fingers.  
  
Obviously disappointed that Ron hadn't taken the bait, Malfoy stepped up his efforts. But this time his voice rose a little too far, attracting the attention of the other students and the two professors.   
  
"I guess it's better that they're partners," he told Pansy, wrinkling his nose in distaste at Ron and Hermione. "Don't want the rest of us contaminated by Muggle-lovers and Mudbloods."  
  
CRACK!  
  
Harry never knew exactly what happened next, but suddenly Malfoy was lying on the floor and Ron was standing over him, his right fist suspended in mid air. For a moment no one moved or spoke, and only those closest to Ron heard his words to the fallen Slytherin.  
  
"Never-say-anything-like-that-again."   
  
Ron's voice was low and amazingly calm, but Harry shivered. It certainly wasn't the first time he had seen his best friend really angry, but this time Ron was *dangerous*.  
  
Another long moment passed as the reality of the situation sank in. Ron stood tall and motionless at Malfoy's feet, with Hermione beside him staring at his clenched fist. Pansy quivered on one side of her partner's head, covering her mouth in horror. Fred and George were frozen in mid-step nearby, utterly shocked, while Harry remained riveted to the floor still holding Ginny in his arms. The only sound came from Malfoy himself as he coughed weakly and raised his head, holding his face with one hand. Blood trickled from his nose and a bruise was already beginning to darken his left eye where Ron's fist had slammed into his face.  
  
"Mr. Weasley."   
  
Professor Dumbledore's quiet voice broke the silence at last, and Ron turned slowly to face him. "You know better than to engage in acts of violence with another student. You have just cost Gryffindor 10 points." Ron paled and hung his head while the other Gryffindors moaned in dismay. Some Slytherins snickered, and a triumphant gleam entered Malfoy's eyes as he sat up and started to rise. But the smirk left his face when Dumbledore wheeled on him with a steely gaze.  
  
"As for you, Mr. Malfoy," the silver-haired headmaster said stiffly, "Hogwarts does not condone that kind of language. Slytherin will lose 50 points and you will apologize immediately to Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger for your insulting behaviour."  
  
Malfoy's jaw fell open unflatteringly. The Gryffindors were too stunned to gloat over his humiliating defeat, and Ron and Hermione only nodded mutely at his mumbled apology.  
  
Professor Dumbledore turned to Pansy. "Miss Parkinson, see that Mr. Malfoy gets cleaned up. The rest of you may return to your dorms. Class is dismissed."  
  
"Sh-should I take him to Madame Pomfrey?" Pansy called timidly after the professor.  
  
He turned to look back at Professor McGonagall, who nodded her head slightly. "No, Miss Parkinson. Mr. Malfoy can heal on his own." Dumbledore looked down at Malfoy reproachfully. "Until then, let his face be a reminder to everyone that such appalling behaviour will not be tolerated at this school."  
  
Somehow the students made it back to their respective common rooms without uttering a word. But no sooner had the last of the Gryffindors crowded through the painting than Ron was surrounded by his cheering housemates, each of them trying to congratulate him on such a decisive victory.  
  
"Way to go, Ron!" Lee Jordan shouted, slapping him on the back.  
  
"You sure showed him!" Katie Bell agreed.  
  
"That lousy snake has had it coming for five years! Bloody good show, Weasley!" crowed Seamus Finnigan loudly.  
  
"Did you see the look on Malfoy's face when he apologized?" George hooted.  
  
"That was priceless!" Fred leaned in to tousle Ron's hair proudly. "Our little brother," he nudged George and feigned weepiness. "All grown up and slugging obnoxious Slytherins."  
  
Colin Creevey sighed heavily. "I wish I'd had my camera! What a moment!" He got to his feet suddenly. "Wait till everyone else hears about this! They'll be thrilled!"  
  
"Yeah," Dean Thomas jumped up to follow, "except for the Slytherins! I bet their common room is pretty tense right now!" Everyone laughed heartily as they scattered to spread the news, leaving Harry, Ginny, and Hermione alone with Ron at last.  
  
Harry didn't quite know what to say. The four of them shifted nervously, avoiding eye contact. Finally Ron took a deep breath and raised his eyes, and they all looked up at him expectantly.   
  
"I guess I shouldn't have done that," he said guiltily, rubbing the back of his neck and dragging his toe across the carpet.  
  
"What?" Harry wasn't sure he had heard correctly.  
  
"I broke my promise and lost 10 points," Ron continued. "I'm sorry for letting you down." He looked away again with a dejected sigh.  
  
Harry got up and took Ron by the shoulders. "Ron, listen to me," he said. "Promises or no promises, you did the right thing. Malfoy had no right saying what he did." He smiled at Ron. "I'm proud to have you for a friend."  
  
Ron's eyes looked suspiciously moist and he blinked in surprise. "Really?" he asked. "Then you're not mad at me?" He looked back and forth among the three of them.  
  
"Of course not, Ron!" Ginny gave him a quick hug. "I'm proud of you, too."  
  
Ron was grinning now, allowing himself to revel in the success of his exploit. But his smile faded when his eyes fell on Hermione. "I suppose you're going to lecture me on the rules against fighting," he said glumly.  
  
"No I'm not," Hermione shook her head. She seemed almost wary as she stepped closer and met his gaze. "I was going to thank you, for defending me. I think it was very brave of you to stand up to Malfoy."  
  
For once Ron was speechless. He stared back at Hermione for a long moment before shrugging modestly. "I didn't do it to be brave. I just couldn't stand to let him get away with it anymore." Ron smiled absently, grinding his fist against his palm. "It did feel pretty good to let him have it," he admitted with a sly grin. They all looked at each other before bursting out laughing.   
  
"Ha ha!" Harry cackled, "Malfoy won't be able to live this one down for a while!"  
  
"I hope his black eye lasts for a month!" Hermione burst out savagely. "I should have punched him in the other eye!"  
  
"Hermione!" exclaimed Ginny, shocked. Then a strange glint entered her eyes and she smiled wickedly. "Well, maybe next time Ron can hold him down and we can all have a go!" she suggested.  
  
Now it was Harry's turn to be surprised. "Ginny!" he gasped, eyes wide. Ron laughed.   
  
"It's the Weasley temper, Harry," he said. "Runs in the family."  
  
Harry smiled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side!"  
  
"Nah," Ron chuckled, "we'll save it for Malfoy and his goons. Come on," he tilted his head toward the door, "let's go see if he shows up for dinner. I want to see what color his eye is."  
  
"Good idea," Hermione grinned. Harry pulled Ginny after them as she disappeared through the portrait with Ron.  
  
  
  
Authors' Note: Read on to find out what Hagrid and the rest of the school think of Ron's exploits. Also in the next part, the Yule Ball approaches. Will Harry ask Cho? And can Ron learn from last year's mistake?  



	4. The Hardest Lesson

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, none of the Weasleys or anyone else belong to us. Wah!  
  
Authors' Note: Sorry again about the stupid asterisks. If anyone knows how to do italics in .txt files, please share in your review (hint, hint).  
  
  
Chapter 4: The Hardest Lesson  
  
The Great Hall erupted in cheers as soon as they entered, with the notable exception of the Slytherin table, where Malfoy's chair remained conspicuously empty. Ron was beaming as they made their way to the Gryffindor table amidst a chorus of congratulations and applause, and Harry couldn't have been happier. He knew Ron disliked always being in his shadow and thought it high time his best friend felt some appreciation of his own.  
  
"Ron! Ron!" Neville stood up and waved frantically, gesturing to the seat next to him. The others followed as Ron sat down across from Fred and George, who were practically bursting with pride. All down the table, Gryffindors leaned in to get a better look at their new hero.  
  
"We were just telling everyone what a big *hit* dance class was today, weren't we, George?" Fred winked.  
  
"Yeah," George added. "It was a real *smash*." He made sure his voice was just loud enough to carry to the Slytherin table. They didn't seem amused.  
  
That night there was more carrying on in the Gryffindor common room than the night they'd won the Quidditch Cup. Ron was enjoying his newfound celebrity immensely, though he confessed to Harry that he found the attention from all the younger girls a bit unsettling. For some reason Hermione didn't seem too pleased about it, either, but Harry only noticed this because Ginny pointed it out to him. Everyone else had a jolly time, with much reenactment of the fateful waltz incident and much laughter at Malfoy's expense. By the time they all headed off to bed Ron confided to Harry that it had been a most successful day indeed.  
  
The next morning Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione went straight after breakfast to share the good news with Hagrid, and the giant groundskeeper gave such a whoop of triumph that the whole cottage shook. No one could have been happier to see Malfoy put in his place than Hagrid, and he let them know right away how impressed he was with Ron's bravery.  
  
"I wish I coulda seen it," he said mournfully. "I don't normally abide violence, but in this case I think it was justified." Hagrid grinned and patted Ron on the back, nearly knocking him off the bench. "I'm just glad yeh didn't get inter trouble."  
  
"Lucky for us the professors heard what Malfoy said," Harry agreed, "or he might have gotten away with it again."  
  
"I still can't believe Professor Dumbledore made him apologize!" said Ginny rapturously.  
  
"Neither can Malfoy, I bet," Hagrid observed. "You kids oughtter be extra careful for a while. He's not the type ter let somethin' like this go without tryin' ter get revenge."   
  
Hagrid was very right about that. Malfoy stopped coming to dance classes and made himself relatively scarce around the castle--probably because his eye had swollen shut and turned a nasty shade of purple--but several times he was spotted conversing furtively with Crabbe and Goyle. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione agreed to watch each others' backs and not go anywhere alone, and the only time they really had to worry was during Potions with Professor Snape. On those occasions they were careful to keep a close watch on Malfoy and on his bodyguards, which wasn't too difficult since the latter apparently shared a brain.  
  
Life at Hogwarts gradually returned to normal, though not a day passed without some reference to the most recent color of Malfoy's shiner, and spirits remained high in Gryffindor. Even Ron and Hermione seemed to be bickering a lot less. Dance lessons were splendid without the Slytherin head couple, and the class learned faster than ever. Neville especially turned into quite an accomplished dancer, much to his and everyone else's surprise, and no longer needed to fear a lack of partners at the Yule Ball.  
  
As the Christmas holidays approached new excitement hung in the air. The students anxiously awaited the end of exams and the chance to celebrate at the Yule Ball, which promised to be even more spectacular than before. Mealtimes buzzed with gossip over who was going with whom, the latest fashions in dress robes, and how many Christmas trees Hagrid could fit into the Great Hall this time. Harry was certainly looking forward to it more this year than last, especially since he felt fairly confident about the dancing this time around. The only damper on the occasion was the embarrassing process of finding a partner.  
  
Harry broached the subject with Ron as they were going to bed one night about three weeks before the Ball. Fred and George already had their partners, and Parvati had asked a thrilled Neville to be her escort, but he and Ron hadn't yet asked anyone.  
  
"Ron?" Harry whispered, "Are you going to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball?"  
  
Ron's ears went scarlet. "What?" He sat up and faced Harry sharply. "What makes you say that?" he demanded.  
  
"N-nothing," Harry stammered, wondering about Ron's strange tone. "I just assumed you would since you're already dance partners and everything."  
  
"Oh." Ron seemed to relax. "Right."  
  
But Harry's curiosity was piqued. "Is there some other reason I should know about?" he asked.  
  
"No, no, no reason," Ron answered a little too quickly, turning away to fluff his pillow.  
  
Harry peered at him suspiciously. He couldn't be sure, but it looked like Ron was blushing. But that would mean--no, it couldn't be. Could it? Harry shook his head. He was probably imagining things. After all, Ron and Hermione were always fighting and getting on each other's nerves. Half the time they weren't even speaking to each other. But the other half of the time...  
  
Suddenly Harry felt as if a light had turned on in his head, just like in a Muggle cartoon. Memories came floating across his mind in a blur of images: Ron attempting to curse Malfoy for calling Hermione a Mudblood, Ron's face when he first saw Hermione's petrified body in the infirmary, Ron trying to kill Malfoy for lamenting Hermione's escape from death. Then there was Ron braving Snape's wrath to defend Hermione, Ron's admiration when Hermione slapped Malfoy, and Ron's unexpected hostility towards Viktor Krum at the Yule Ball.  
  
Harry's startling thoughts were interrupted by Ron's voice. "What about you? Are you gonna ask Cho again?"  
  
Harry sighed, his speculation about Ron's feelings for Hermione forgotten. "I don't think so," he answered sadly. "Things are so awkward now after all that happened last year. I'm not sure she's even going to go."  
  
Ron nodded thoughtfully. "You're probably right," he agreed. "Are you taking Ginny, then?"  
  
"I'm going to ask her," Harry answered. "Do you think she'll say yes?"  
  
"Hello-o!" Ron snorted. "You know she has a huge crush on you--of course she'll say yes." He chucked his pillow at Harry, who ducked just in time. "'Will she say yes?' Honestly!"  
  
Feeling foolish, Harry tossed Ron's pillow back onto his best friend's bed and rolled over. He'd known about Ginny's feelings for him for years, but after being partners for so long in dance class he had thought--he had hoped--that she had gotten over them once she got to know him better. Ginny certainly wasn't as shy with him as she had been in the past, at least, and Harry actually thought they were becoming good friends. And that's how he planned to ask her to the Ball--as a friend.   
  
The next morning Harry found Ron in the common room trying unsuccessfully to study for their Potions exam. The redhead looked up as he entered. "If you're looking for Ginny," he said, "she just left with Colin."  
  
"Thanks," said Harry, turning to step through the portrait. He rounded the corner to see Ginny standing quite close to Colin, her face alight with laughter. Harry's stomach suddenly did a most unpleasant flip-flop. Colin and Ginny were holding hands.   
  
Harry felt like a balloon that had just been popped. Of course Colin would already have asked Ginny, and now he'd have to find another partner. And it would be no easy task since almost everyone was already paired off. With a groan Harry spun around to go back through the painting, kicking himself for being so stupid.  
  
"Harry!" Ginny's voice made him stop and turn.   
  
"Hi, Ginny," he managed. "Hullo, Colin." He forced his lips into a smile, remembering vividly how annoying little Creevey had been in the past. How could he have forgotten?  
  
"You have to see these," Ginny told him, pulling him over to look at something in Colin's hands. Her face was flushed with excitement as she held the items up for Harry's inspection. "Colin was just showing me the photos he's been taking of Draco's black eye over the past few weeks. Aren't they great? You can really see the colors changing."  
  
"Yeah," Harry said automatically. "They're really good." So they hadn't been holding hands, after all. He smiled warmly at Colin, his annoyance forgotten. "You take nice photos," he said sincerely. "Have you shown these to Ron? He's in the common room studying Potions and could probably use a good laugh."  
  
Colin snorted and shook his head, taking the pictures back from Harry. "Probably," he agreed. "See you later, Ginny. Bye, Harry."  
  
Harry waved and turned back to Ginny. It was now or never. "I'm glad I bumped into you," he began. "I wanted to talk to you."  
  
"You did?" Ginny looked up at him. "What about?"  
  
"Well," Harry hesitated, "I was wondering if you were planning on going to the Yule Ball or not."  
  
Ginny blushed and studied her feet. "I'd like to go," she said quietly, "but..."  
  
"But what?" Harry prompted.  
  
"But I don't want to go without a partner." Harry had to strain to hear her reply.  
  
"No one's asked you yet?" he asked nervously, his hope returning.  
  
Ginny flushed even redder and didn't look up. "No." It was almost a whisper.  
  
Harry was so absurdly relieved he barely stopped himself from twirling Ginny into a dip in the middle of the hall. Instead he took her hand with a broad smile.   
  
"Good," he told her, "because I was hoping you would come with me." Ginny's head snapped up sharply and for a moment Harry thought he had made a mistake. "That is, I mean, if you want to," he stuttered awkwardly.  
  
"You're asking me to the Yule Ball?" Ginny breathed in a very small voice. Harry nodded slowly, a little frightened that she didn't look very happy about it. Ginny blinked and took a step back. "That's very sweet of you, Harry," she said finally, and Harry felt his insides drop. He was about to be turned down, he could feel it. "But you don't have to take me. I know there's someone else you'd rather ask."  
  
Harry's mouth fell open. "Ginny--what--I want to go with you," he faltered.   
  
Ginny shook her head, her lips compressed in a small smile. "I know you're just trying to be nice to me, and I'm grateful," she repeated, "but I can't go with you."  
  
"Why not?" Harry was thunderstruck. "Is there someone else you'd rather go with?"  
  
Ginny dropped her eyes. "No," she admitted quietly.  
  
Harry didn't know what else to do. He grabbed her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "Ginny, I'm not asking you to be nice, I swear. You're my friend and I want to go to the Ball with you. There's no one else I want to ask."  
  
Harry was amazed to discover that every word he said was true. He held his breath, a trifle shocked with himself, and waited for Ginny to say something. Apparently he looked pretty convincing, for she was staring at him with round, shining eyes.  
  
"You really mean that?" Her voice was trembling.   
  
Harry nodded firmly. "Will you go with me, please?"  
  
Ginny's face broke into the biggest smile Harry had ever seen. "Yes!" she choked out at last. "I'd love to!"   
  
Harry grinned, too, and pulled her back toward the common room. "C'mon, let's go tell Ron."  
  
They were still smiling when they joined Ron by the fire and flopped onto the couch.  
  
"I take it she said yes," Ron winked at Harry. "What a surprise."  
  
Ginny blushed and chucked a pillow at his teasing smirk, but it was only a half-hearted effort and he dodged it easily.   
  
"What about you, Ron?" asked Harry. "Have you seen Hermione yet?"  
  
"Nope," Ron answered absently, turning the page of his Potions book. "She must still be upstairs or I would have seen her come down. I've been sitting here all morning." He looked up suddenly with a horrified grimace on his face, then dropped his gaze, slightly flushed. Harry glanced at Ginny, who cocked her eyebrows in amusement.  
  
"So are you and Hermione going to the Ball together?" she asked her brother.  
  
Ron assumed an air of nonchalance that didn't fool Harry in the slightest. "Yeah, well, since we're already partners and all," he shrugged.  
  
"*And at what point exactly were you planning on telling me about this?*"  
  
Harry spun around to see Hermione standing at the base of the girls' tower.  
  
"Hermione!" exclaimed Ron.   
  
She left the stairway and advanced on him slowly with blazing eyes, her cheeks pinched and colorless. "Were you even going to ask me if I wanted to go with you," she inquired coldly, "or did you just assume I wouldn't have a choice?"  
  
"Hermione, I didn't--" Ron stuttered, panicked, but she silenced him with an icy glare.  
  
"That's right," Hermione continued, trembling, "it never even occurred to you anyone else would want to ask me, did it?" Harry was startled to see tears in her eyes.  
  
"No!" Ron shook his head, holding up his hands in protest. "You've got the wrong idea! Let me explain--"   
  
"Of course not!" Hermione cried shrilly, cutting him off. "Why would anyone want to take me to the Ball?" She was really crying now, but more from hurt or anger Harry couldn't tell. When she rounded on Ron with clenched fists he decided to go with anger.  
  
"How could you?" Hermione demanded in a deadly whisper. The expression on her face was one Harry had only seen once before, right after she had slapped Draco Malfoy.  
  
Ron sat stone-still in the chair, his eyes wide in a look of utter horror. Before he could recover enough to reply, Hermione had turned on her heel to march back towards the stairs.   
  
"You can find yourself a new partner, Ron Weasley," she said without looking back. Her voice was shaking with emotion. "I'm *never* going to the Ball with you."  
  
No one moved. Ginny gave a sort of strangled gasp. Ron was staring open-mouthed after Hermione, his freckles unusually prominent against the sudden pallor of his cheeks. Harry leapt abruptly to his feet and crossed the floor to grab Hermione's arm.  
  
"Hermione, wait!" he cried. "You've made a mistake."  
  
Hermione's red-rimmed eyes looked reproachfully at him as she shook out of his grasp. Her gaze flicked briefly over Harry's shoulder to settle on Ron. "I don't think so," she said dully, turning away again.   
  
Harry took her firmly by both shoulders. "Yes, you have," he insisted. "At least hear what Ron has to say."  
  
"She doesn't want to."   
  
Harry turned around. Ron stood perfectly still in front of his chair. There was a very hard look on his face that Harry didn't like at all.  
  
"She's obviously not interested in hearing it," he said. "Let her go." Ron's lips had thinned into a determined line and there were two bright spots of pink in his cheeks. Harry stared at him in dismay as Hermione backed away again.  
  
Ginny jumped up suddenly. "Hermione, Ron's been waiting for you all morning to ask you to the Ball!" she blurted breathlessly.  
  
Hermione's tear-stained cheeks had gone completely white. "What?" she whispered shakily, regarding Ron with disbelief. "Is that true? You *were* really going to ask me?"  
  
Ron crossed his arms sullenly and fixed her with an angry glare. "And what if I was?" he demanded haughtily. "We can all see you're not very keen on the idea, so just forget it. I'll get a new partner, like you said."  
  
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione burst into tears. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that!" she gasped between sobs. "I thought--I thought--" Her face crumpled and she collapsed onto the couch, burying her head in her arms.  
  
Ron blinked at Harry, looking quite terrified. Then Ginny poked him in the shoulder and nodded meaningfully at Hermione, and he moved to sit awkwardly on the arm of the couch.  
  
"Don't cry, Hermione," said Ron at last. He seemed very uncomfortable as he reached out and placed his hand timidly on her shoulder.  
  
Hermione raised her tear-streaked face and sniffed loudly. "Ron, I'm really sorry," she repeated miserably. "I should have let you explain. Can you ever forgive me?" Her watery eyes were bright with fear.  
  
Ron managed a weak smile. "Yes," he said slowly, "but only if you come to the Yule Ball with me. If the four of us are friends we should go together, don't you think?"  
  
Hermione couldn't speak. She threw her arms around Ron in a fierce hug and dissolved into tears again, spotting the front of his robes. Ron didn't seem to know what to do with his hands, and finally settled on patting them gently on Hermione's back.  
  
"Well," said Harry as the last of Hermione's sobs faded away, "good thing that's settled." Ron, Ginny, and Hermione looked at him dazedly. "Who wants breakfast?"  
  
  
  
Authors' Note: Well, if you thought that was awkward, it only gets worse in the later parts. To see what happens at the Yule Ball, what Malfoy is plotting, and how Ginny and Harry really feel about each other, you know what to do!   
  



	5. The Secret Gifts

Authors' Note: Major foof coming your way! Consider yourselves warned. Also, once again asterisks signify italics. One of these days we'll figure out how to fix that problem...  
  
Disclaimer: We own nothing. We're only borrowing the characters, and we promise to give them back when we're done...except maybe for Ron. ;)  
  
Chapter 5: The Secret Gifts  
  
Now that they all had dates to the Ball, Harry and his friends turned their attention back to the more pressing issue of passing their exams. Everyone felt very stressed out, especially about the dreaded Potions exam. Professor Snape's perpetually bad mood had gotten even worse since the discovery that some of his ingredients had been stolen from the dungeon, a crime for which Harry was his chief suspect. At least this time, though, he, Ron, and Hermione were innocent, and they thought Draco Malfoy the real culprit. It would have been just like the Slytherin to try to frame them.  
  
Somehow they all survived these trials and slipped thankfully into the Christmas holidays at last. There were a few days before the Yule Ball to recover from the strain of the past few weeks, and the students used them to greatest advantage. Books and quills lay forgotten in the corners of the common rooms while their owners relaxed by the fire, challenged each other to chess tournaments, or built ice fortresses for snowball fights on the grounds outside.  
  
One night Harry and Ron went down for a game of chess to find that the board was already in use.   
  
"Hullo," Neville waved cheerfully. "Did you want to play a game?"   
  
"Only if you're finished," Harry nodded.  
  
Neville stood up and offered the seat across from Hermione. "Yeah, we're done. I've had all the ego squelching I can take for one day." He smiled sportingly at Hermione. "Thanks for the lesson. Goodnight, everyone."   
  
"Goodnight, Neville," she smiled back as the boys waved.  
  
"So," Ron's eyes were bright with the prospect of a challenge, "want to try for a double victory?"  
  
Hermione looked at her watch. "I'd like to," she said, "but I'm meeting Ginny in a few minutes. I'd be happy to beat you some other time, though," she smiled sweetly at Ron.  
  
"Ha!" he snorted. "That is *so* never going to happen!"  
  
Harry and Hermione shared amused smiles while she got up to relinquish her seat. "What are you and Ginny up to tonight?" he asked her as she turned to go upstairs.  
  
"Oh, nothing really," Hermione answered. "I told her I'd help her with a spell to fix her dress robes for the Ball. She's grown an inch since last year so we have to let the hem out."  
  
"Oh." Harry scrunched his forehead thoughtfully. It had never occurred to him that Ginny would have to worry about something like that.   
  
Hermione scratched her head, looking pensive. "I wonder if I could change the color, too," she murmured absently. She looked at Harry. "Her favorite color is green, you know." Harry didn't know, and he wondered why Hermione felt it necessary to inform him.   
  
"Um, okay," he muttered uncertainly.  
  
"Well let me know if the spell works, will you?" Ron asked from the sofa. "Maybe I can use one on mine." They all knew how much Ron hated his frilly hand-me-down dress robes.  
  
"Okay," Hermione promised. "Ask me tomorrow at breakfast." She bid them goodnight and went upstairs.  
  
"Right," Ron turned back to Harry with an excited grin. "So my pawn moves to this square here..."  
  
Harry was still troubled over the Weasleys' dress wear dilemma when he went to bed that night. He knew that Fred and George were going to use the prize money he had given them last year to buy Ron new robes for Christmas, but he couldn't be so sure about Ginny. With a guilty frown he thought about the piles of money sitting in his vault at Gringotts and decided to take matters into his own hands. It was his money, after all, and he saw no reason he couldn't use it to save Ginny some embarrassment.  
  
The next morning Hermione told them that the spell had been relatively successful, but she said she couldn't promise anything spectacular for Ron's robes. Harry wanted to know what she meant by "relatively."  
  
"Well," Hermione conceded, "Ginny seemed happy with them. But she's so nice she'd never say if she hated them." She sighed and looked at Harry. "I wish there were something else I could do to help."  
  
"Well it was nice of you to do that spell, anyway," Harry pointed out. He was now more determined than ever to go through with his plan. "Say, Hermione," he began casually, "could I borrow your owl-order catalogue? I want to get a present for Hagrid."  
  
For some reason Hermione's eyes lit up. "Sure. Let me go get it." She vanished upstairs and returned with the catalogue a moment later. "Just give it back whenever you're done," Hermione told him. "No rush." And she left him in the common room, saying she had to meet Ron.  
  
Harry checked to make sure no one else was around before settling down by the fire to test his idea. When he opened the catalogue he was surprised to discover that the pages displaying dress robes were already marked. In fact, several of the pictures had even been circled. He wondered if Hermione had decided to order herself a new robe. Later, after agonizing over his decision for several hours, Harry sneaked out to the owlery to place his order, crossing his fingers that it would come in time.  
  
Christmas morning arrived at last. Harry woke early when one of the presents Ron was flinging onto his bed bounced off his forehead instead.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"Merry Christmas, Harry!" said Ron cheerfully from the floor, where he had just begun to unwrap one of Mrs. Weasley's famous maroon sweaters.  
  
Harry dug eagerly into his own packages, but his real excitement was about the evening's Yule Ball. He and Ron both had partners whose company they actually enjoyed, they knew how to dance, they were all speaking to one another, and there was no horrible impending doom awaiting them. They couldn't possibly have a bad time.  
  
Harry's happy thoughts were interrupted by Ron's sudden cry. "Harry!" he exclaimed, holding up long, chocolate brown robes of soft velvet and no hint of lace whatsoever. "Where on earth did they get the money for these?"   
  
Harry hid a smile. "Fred did tell me that he and George made a killing off those Canary Cremes last year," he fibbed. "They look really nice."   
  
Ron beamed. He hardly seemed to care about the rest of his presents, and it was only a few minutes before he and Harry were rushing down to breakfast to share the good news with the girls.  
  
But Ginny and Hermione had some excitement of their own. Harry and Ron sat down just as the owl post began to depart, leaving behind a mysterious package for Ginny. She picked up the plain brown parcel with a curious frown.   
"I wonder what this could be."  
  
Harry tried to hide his interest as Ginny carefully unwrapped the gift, watching her eyes grow wide with surprise and joy. As if in a daze she stood and held the delicate robes against her, staring at them in disbelief. Ginny looked up amazedly at her friends and Harry saw that her lower lip was trembling. "They're beautiful!" she whispered in a choked voice.  
  
"Who sent them?" Ron voiced the question on everyone's minds.  
  
"There's no card," Ginny shrugged, slightly disappointed. Her gaze flickered in Harry's direction, and he feigned sudden interest in his bread pudding.  
  
"Must be your secret admirer!" teased Hermione, giving Ginny a playful nudge. The redhead blushed and sat down again, casting a dreamy glance at the package as she picked up her fork. Harry turned and caught Hermione studying him carefully, a wide grin on her face. He ducked his head quickly.   
  
"Ginny, you didn't tell us you had a suitor!" exclaimed Fred in mock reproach.  
  
"Who's the lucky fellow?" George glanced around the room. "Or have you captured too many hearts to be sure?" His eyes twinkled merrily as poor Ginny's blush deepened even further, and Harry sighed as the twins amused themselves by rattling off the names of her potential admirers. So far, at least, no one seemed to suspect *him*.  
  
  
  
Authors' Note: Ha ha--we thought we'd stall a bit! But the long-awaited Yule Ball is in the next chapter.  
  



	6. Mistletoe and Monsters

Disclaimer: We don't own anything, not even Ron's dress sock.   
  
Authors' Note: Here's the next part, like we promised. This one is a cliffhanger, though, so be warned. But it does have the Yule Ball and lots of H/G and R/H. We hope you'll find it amusing. And thanks to everyone who reviewed and encouraged us to post this so quickly. :)  
  
  
  
Chapter 6: Mistletoe and Monsters  
  
The rest of the day passed quickly in snowball fights and mock Quidditch games, until late in the afternoon when the girls excused themselves to get ready for the Ball. Ron shook his head at their giddy exit, rolling his eyes.   
  
"I don't know why they're making such a fuss over getting dressed," he told Harry. "It doesn't take that long to put on your robes."  
  
That evening was a different story, though. Neville paced back and forth across the dorm adjusting his robes for the billionth time while Harry tried desperately to smooth his hair. Dean and Seamus fidgeted anxiously nearby, waiting with ill-concealed impatience for the hour of the Ball.   
  
"Harry, have you seen my other dress sock?" came a muffled voice from the next bed. Harry could just see a flailing pair of tweed-clad legs and one bare foot sticking out from under Ron's four-poster.  
  
He shrugged and shook his head apologetically as his best friend's panicked face popped into view. A second later it had disappeared again behind Ron's trunk, from which assorted articles of clothing began to fly in all directions.  
  
"Ron, it's almost time to go," Harry warned. "You can borrow one of mine."  
  
A large hand reappeared just then over the lid of the trunk, clutching a wadded-up brown sock. The rest of Ron quickly followed, looking flustered but triumphant.  
  
"You go on ahead," he told Harry. "I just have to get my robes on. I'll be down in a minute."  
  
Harry nodded, eager to flee the ransacked dorm. He filed down the stairs with the other three boys in nervous silence. Padma and Lavender were already waiting in the common room for Dean and Seamus. On their way out the two couples bumped into an excited Parvati, who looked stunning in robes of rich purple, as she came down from the girls' dorm. Neville managed to squeak out a compliment before she led him through the painting, leaving Harry alone.  
  
As the silence stretched intolerably Harry began to feel sick. He was about to go get a drink of water when Ron's date appeared at the bottom of the stairs on the other side of the room. Harry remembered his manners and stood up quickly.  
  
Hermione was wearing dress robes of deep blue velvet embroidered with silver. Her hair had been pulled back from her face and tamed into smooth curls that spilled over her shoulders, and tiny silver stars glittered amongst the glossy tresses. Her eyes were bright with excitement, though she seemed a little nervous.  
  
"You look really nice, Hermione," Harry told her with a smile.  
  
"Thanks." Hermione blushed. "So do you." She grinned at him suddenly. "But wait till you see Ginny. Her new dress robes are perfect."  
  
Harry wasn't sure what to say to this. Was it his imagination, or had Hermione just winked at him? She didn't know that he had sent the robes, did she? He began to feel unaccountably nervous. "Is she ready then?"   
  
Hermione nodded. "She's coming in a minute." She looked around, trying to seem casual. "Where's Ron?"  
  
"He'll be right down," Harry answered. "He had a slight problem with his footwear." He moved to lean against the wall near the girls' staircase. A moment later he heard Hermione draw in her breath suddenly, and he turned to see what had happened.  
  
"There's Ginny now," Hermione gestured to the top of the stairs. Her face was practically glowing.   
  
Harry looked up the staircase. "Where?" Then, "*Oh*."  
  
The girl on the landing smiled shyly at him and started down the stairs, and Harry forgot to breathe. The forest green robes he had ordered from the magazine looked nothing like they had in the picture. The way the silky material hung on Ginny's slender form made her seem taller somehow, and the soft, ruddy coils of hair piled high on her head and adorned with sprigs of holly complimented the color perfectly. When had she become so grown up? And why in the name of Godric Gryffindor hadn't he noticed?   
  
"Ginny, you look beautiful," Harry finally stammered out when she stood before him.  
  
Ginny blushed with pleasure, making his insides turn. "Thank you," she smiled. "You look really nice, too." Harry hardly heard what she said. He was too busy gaping at Ginny to notice when Ron appeared on the other side of the room, until her voice brought him back to reality.   
  
"Ron! You look so handsome!" Harry blinked as Hermione turned around.  
  
Ron *did* look handsome. His new dress robes fit perfectly, especially compared with last year's, or perhaps he simply filled them out better. Indeed, he did look taller than ever, and more confident. At least he did until he caught a glimpse of Hermione. She was staring at him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks, her mouth forming a perfect red O.  
  
"Are we all ready then?" Harry thought he detected the slightest tremor in his best friend's voice as Ron approached them and offered Hermione his arm. She took it wordlessly with a slight nod, and the four of them stepped through the portrait together.   
  
The Great Hall's transformation made it almost unrecognizable as the seat of their daily meals. Towering Christmas trees dripping with ornaments and candles lined the walls and fairy lights sparkled on every available surface. The enchanted ceiling appeared as a deep black vault of stars, and tiny snowflakes swirled magically through the air to vanish into the floor. It was breathtaking.  
  
"This is even better than last year!" exclaimed Hermione in awe.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Ron, but Harry noticed he was looking at Hermione rather than the Hall.  
  
Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny wasted no time in joining their friends at the Gryffindor table, where the girls were greeted with appreciative whistles and the boys with much jostling of elbows. They managed to settle down just as Professor Dumbledore rose to make the opening address. No one really listened until the Weird Sisters began to play and everyone hurried to show off their new dance moves.  
  
As Harry stood to offer Ginny his arm he glimpsed Draco Malfoy on the other side of the floor. The tall blonde was scowling directly back at him over Ginny's shoulder with a look of pure hatred on his face. It occurred to Harry then that the distraction of the Ball provided the perfect opportunity for the Slytherin to seek revenge, and he looked to see if Ron had noticed Malfoy, too. But his best friend appeared quite involved in other matters, and when Ginny smiled and took Harry's arm all thoughts of danger flew from his head.  
  
Most of the Gryffindors had been dancing for quite some time when a slight diversion, in the form of a rather unusual piece of foliage, drew everyone's attention.  
  
"Oy! Ron! Heads up!"  
  
Harry looked over at his friends as Ron and Hermione opened their eyes with a start and glanced up. Floating in the air above them was a large bunch of mistletoe tied with gold ribbon. They both blushed and stopped dancing. By now other couples around them had noticed the situation as well, and people were beginning to stare, whispering expectantly.  
  
"What the--?" Ron had pulled Hermione out from beneath the mistletoe, but the festive bundle swooped after them to alight once more a foot above his head. Ron's blush darkened as he scanned the crowd with a suspicious gaze, undoubtedly seeking his older brothers.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" someone called out. "Kiss her!"  
  
Hermione's face was now the color of Ron's hair. They both whirled to see who had made the comment, only to find themselves surrounded by a crowd of over-enthusiastic Gryffindors. Harry cringed in sympathy for his two friends. There seemed only one thing they could do.   
  
Ron and Hermione's faces wore identical expressions of extreme embarrassment as they slowly moved closer, avoiding eye contact. Apparently they had reached the same conclusion as Harry. Hermione closed her eyes and tilted one cheek upwards toward Ron, who squeezed his own eyes shut and bent swiftly to give it a quick peck. But just before he reached her Fred "accidentally" gave his brother a slight nudge, and Ron's lips landed squarely on Hermione's mouth.  
  
Both their eyes flew open. For a moment Hermione and Ron stood frozen beneath the mistletoe, then someone whistled and they sprang apart abruptly. Harry stared.  
  
"Way to go, Ron!" George was giving him a double thumbs-up.  
  
"Wow, Hermione!" Several of the younger girls were regarding the stunned brunette with obvious surprise, some even a bit enviously. Other couples had begun hooting and clapping, oblivious to Ron and Hermione's rather noticeable discomfort.  
  
Ron seemed to have difficulty meeting Hermione's gaze. "Let's get some air," Harry heard him mumble to the floor, and a minute later they were retreating to the gardens.  
  
Harry turned back to Ginny with eyes that were still a bit too wide. To his surprise, she looked perfectly calm, and was even wearing an odd little smile. "Ginny!" he exclaimed as the truth dawned, "You enchanted that mistletoe, didn't you?"  
  
Ginny didn't seem at all perturbed by Harry's accusatory tone. "Of course," she admitted with no trace of shame. Seeing Harry's shocked expression, Ginny sighed and started to explain. "It's so obvious how much those two care about each other," she said matter-of-factly. "But they're both too stubborn to admit it, so I thought I'd help them out." She smiled in the direction Ron and Hermione had fled. "I think it was rather a successful plan, don't you?"  
  
"Was Fred in on it, too, then?" Harry recovered enough to ask.   
  
Ginny nodded. "I'm not the only one who noticed my brother's feelings for Hermione. You suspected them too, didn't you?"   
  
Harry had to concede that she was right. "Yes," he nodded slowly, "but it's still a bit...weird...seeing them like that." He blushed, remembering the looks on their faces after the kiss.  
  
The corners of Ginny's mouth twitched. "It was bound to happen sooner or later," she pointed out. "I'm just glad I could help it be sooner."  
  
"I don't know," Harry chewed his lip. "Ron looked ready to kill someone when he saw that mistletoe. Maybe you better go tell him it was you so he doesn't attack the wrong person."  
  
"He should be thanking me!" Ginny protested, but she followed Harry as he made his way across the crowded dance floor to the side door.   
  
Apparently Ron and Hermione weren't the only students who preferred the more...secluded atmosphere of the gardens. Harry pulled Ginny behind him on the path, trying unsuccessfully to ignore the muffled giggles and rustlings of branches that quieted suddenly as they passed the more isolated groups of bushes. They reached the far corner of the yard with no sign of their friends, and Harry was about to go back inside when a small movement caught his eye.   
  
But it was only another pair of students, half-hidden in the shadows of a large hedge, and Harry turned away with crimson cheeks. Then suddenly his brain registered the glimpse of an unmistakably familiar shock of hair. Harry looked cautiously again at the hedge, where he was shocked to find--  
  
"Ron! Hermione!"  
  
Hermione jumped backwards, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.  
  
"Harry. Ginny." Ron straightened and faced them coolly, one eyebrow raised slightly.  
  
Harry had never felt so uncomfortable. He couldn't decide which was more embarrassing, Hermione's guilty blush or Ron's apparent nonchalance. He struggled to think of something to say. But as it turned out, he didn't have to.  
  
"See! I told you!" Ginny rounded on him with a triumphant smile. She pointed at Ron and Hermione. "You really do like each other, admit it!"  
  
Hermione coughed. "Yes," she said softly, smiling sideways at Ron. He winked at her, looking for a moment exactly like Fred.  
  
"I guess we owe you a thank you," Ron grinned at his sister. "It was you, wasn't it?"  
  
Ginny nodded eagerly. "I got tired of waiting around for you to see what was right in front of you." She punched Ron playfully in the shoulder. "Honestly, you two are so blind!"  
  
"Okay, okay," Hermione smiled and took Ron's hand, "so you were right. But did you have to point it out to us in front of the whole school?" Even in the darkness Harry could see her blush returning.  
  
"Well it was certainly one of the more effective ways of opening your eyes," he said with an evil grin, finally enough over the initial shock to appreciate the humour of the situation.  
  
Ginny laughed as Hermione groaned and buried her face in Ron's robes. "I'll never live it down!" she whined.  
  
"It's not that bad, Hermione," Harry told her comfortingly. "I'm sure Colin only got one or two pictures. Maybe three," he added wickedly as Hermione shot him a dirty look.  
  
"Nah," said Ginny. She patted Hermione's arm reassuringly. "Colin wasn't even inside when the mistletoe appeared. So it's safe to go back now."  
  
Ron gestured up the path toward the Great Hall. "Yeah," he agreed. "It's getting late. We should probably go inside."  
  
Hermione took a deep breath, but finally nodded in agreement. "Alright." Ron took her hand and started up the path, Harry and Ginny walking behind them.   
  
Suddenly Hermione stopped and glanced around. "Did you hear something?"  
  
"No," Harry replied. "Like what?"  
  
"I thought I heard something rustling in the bushes."  
  
Ginny looked around as Ron's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Fred and George Weasley!" he began in a threatening tone. "If you're spying on us I swear I'll--"  
  
"Calm down, Ron," giggled Hermione. "It was probably just the wind." They resumed their leisurely stroll.  
  
"AAAARRGH!"  
  
"What the--!" Ron spun around, pushing Hermione behind him.  
  
What looked like a knight in armor had just sprung out from behind a hedge and was sprinting toward them, brandishing a heavy sword and slashing through the bushes in its way. But there was no face visible behind the visor flapping up and down on the helmet. The suit was empty! Stunned, the four of them just stared at the charging knight.   
  
Hermione recovered first. "It's the suit of arms from the North corridor!" she cried. "It's been bewitched!"  
  
"Not for long!" said Ron, raising his wand. "*Stupefy!*"  
  
The suit faltered and lurched to a halt, legs frozen in mid-stride.  
  
Ron turned back to Hermione with a shaky smile. "See? That wasn't so--"  
  
He was cut off by a horrible clanking sound as the knight creaked back to life, shaking its head as if to clear it of the spell.  
  
"It's breaking the spell!" cried Hermione in disbelief.  
  
Harry pointed his wand resolutely. "*Locomotor Mortis!*" he shouted.  
  
They all held their breath. The knight had started toward them again, but now it crashed to the ground as its legs suddenly locked together. Harry took a cautious step closer, then--  
  
"Look out!" screamed Ginny.  
  
Harry had to jump backwards as the knight, already clambering heavily to its feet, slashed at him with its sword.  
  
"*Impedimentia!*" A flash of light from Hermione's wand sent the knight tumbling backwards, giving Harry enough time to scramble out of the way. But they all knew that wouldn't stop the attack.  
  
"Why aren't these bloody spells working?" burst Ron in frustration.  
  
They backed down the path, watching the knight staggering to its feet once again. Harry turned to Ginny desperately. "Go get help! We'll try and hold him off from the castle until you get back."  
  
"I'm not leaving you!" cried Ginny fiercely. Before he could stop her she stepped past him and raised her wand.   
"*Expelliarmus!*"  
  
The knight's heavy sword sailed out of its hand and crashed into a hedge several yards away. For a moment the suit stood motionless as if in shock. Then without warning it lunged forward again and made a violent swipe with its left arm. There was a sickening crack as the gauntleted fist swung right into Ginny, doubling her body like a rag doll and flinging her to one side.   
  
Something snapped in Harry's chest. He felt Ron and Hermione still standing beside him brandishing their wands, and he could tell their lips were moving, but he heard nothing. All he could see was Ginny's crumpled form on the side of the path, looking almost exactly as she had three years before when he found her half-dead on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets.   
  
  
  
Authors' Note: Okay, so we killed Ginny. Maybe. You'll just have to wait and find out. wicked grin And of course, lots of reviews makes the wait a lot shorter.  
  



	7. The Final Lesson

Disclaimer: Nothing is ours, even though that would be the best present ever!  
  
Authors' Note: Thank you everyone who reviewed, and thanks for your patience! Sorry this took us longer than expected, but hopefully this part will make up for your suffering.   
  
Chapter 7: The Final Lesson  
  
Harry was only dimly aware of his own voice choking out Ginny's name as he crashed to his knees beside her and turned her over with shaking hands. Her face was ashen, but she blinked up at him and drew a ragged breath.   
  
"Harry, my ribs--I think--" Ginny broke off with a gasp, clutching his arm tightly.   
  
Harry fought back a sob of relief. "Don't worry," he managed to say. "You'll be fine."   
  
Ginny shook her head, her terrified gaze fixed over his shoulder. "We have to help them!"  
  
Harry turned swiftly, with a pang of guilt for having momentarily forgotten his two friends. Ron and Hermione were backing away down the path, still trying to find a curse that would hold the suit of armor longer than a few seconds. But now the knight reached behind its back with one arm as it advanced on them, and Harry remembered with dismay the enormous battle axe he and Ron had so often admired in the North corridor.  
  
Ron must have realized the same thing, for he whirled around and aimed his wand at the hedge where the knight's sword had landed. "*Accio*!" he bellowed. Harry saw him shove his wand back inside his robes so he would have both hands free. An instant later there was a tremendous clash as Ron caught the sword and raised it to block the battle axe that was swinging toward them. Hermione, meanwhile, was using a similar spell to chuck rocks, decorative statues, and any other projectiles she could find at the knight's head.   
  
Suddenly there was a rapid flash of flight, accompanied by a familiar clicking noise. Harry twisted around to see Colin Creevey running towards them, wild-eyed and waving his camera. The younger boy's astonished gaze was fixed on Ron as the redhead skillfully parried another charge. He didn't appear to see Harry crouched in the shadows with Ginny cradled in his arms, nor realize the danger of the situation.  
  
"Colin!" Harry yelled frantically, "Go for help!" He pointed at Ginny. Colin looked at him sharply, blanched, and sped off in the direction he had come.  
  
"Harry, help me up."  
  
Harry looked down at Ginny. She was still very pale but her mouth was drawn into a determined line, and she started to push herself up off the ground. "Ginny, I don't think you should--"  
  
"Ron, look out!" Ginny reached for her wand, but Harry was faster.  
  
"*Propellio recedus*!" he shouted, and the suit of armor flew backwards several yards. Harry knew that wouldn't stop it from attacking again, but it gave Ron a moment's rest from wielding the heavy sword.  
  
Ginny was trying to rise again, and Harry started to stop her.  
  
"Harry," she fixed him with a firm look, "Ron can't hold out much longer, and none of our spells are working. The only way we're going to stop that thing is if we all work together. Now come on, I have to get up."  
  
Harry knew she was right. He shifted his arm behind her and stood up, pulling her with him as gently as she could. Ginny's pallor was now tinged with green, but she didn't say anything as Harry supported her over to Hermione's side. The older girl immediately realized their intentions.  
  
"The Total Body Bind, on three," said Hermione tensely, never looking away from the ongoing battle. "Aim carefully!" Her eyes followed Ron as he darted back and forth to avoid the knight's deadly blows.  
  
Harry glanced at Ginny. Her lips were white and there were tiny beads of sweat on her forehead, but she held her wand out steadily in front of her. They both nodded at Hermione.  
  
"One, two, three-*Petrificus Totalus*!"  
  
The combined force of their three spells knocked Harry, Ginny, and Hermione backwards several steps. The sword completely missed its target when the knight froze abruptly in mid-swing, dropping the battle-axe as its arms snapped to its sides. Ron stumbled, off balance, and whipped around to see what had happened.  
  
"*Ron*!" The sword clattered to the ground as Hermione threw herself into Ron's arms, shaking with relief. But Harry wasn't satisfied.  
  
"*Diffindo*!" he growled fiercely, pointing his wand at the silver breastplate. Ron and Hermione jumped backwards as the suit of armor split down the middle with a deafening crack. Then the two halves shattered completely, raining tiny metal shards onto the path.  
  
At that moment a breathless Colin came running up with Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Hagrid in tow. They blinked at the four disheveled-looking students huddled by the forgotten sword.  
  
"As usual we seem to have just missed our chance to help," Dumbledore commented wryly.  
  
Harry might have laughed if he hadn't been so worried about Ginny. She looked even paler than before and was holding her ribs with one arm.  
  
"Harry," she said stiffly, "I think I need to sit down."  
  
Harry felt her sagging beside him and cried out in alarm, dropping his wand so he could hold her up with both arms. Ginny had fainted dead away. Harry didn't bother to wait for a stretcher. Instead he bent to scoop up her legs and started back to the castle at a flat run, Ron, Hermione, and the others trailing behind. They must have looked a strange sight barging back through the Great Hall and cutting across the dance floor, but Harry didn't care.   
  
Madam Pomfrey made everybody wait outside the infirmary while she tended to Ginny, which finally gave them a chance to talk about what had happened. Fred and George had come as well, having seen Harry racing through the Great Hall with their sister, and were standing next to Ron.  
  
"Harry, please stop pacing," Professor McGonagall entreated for the third time.  
  
Hermione grabbed his arm as he passed and patted it comfortingly. "Ginny's going to be fine," she said firmly, shifting under Ron's arm.  
  
"Yeah," Ron agreed, though his smile was a little feeble. "We Weasleys are pretty tough."  
  
"That's right," said Fred bracingly, "and stubborn, too."  
  
Harry sighed and went reluctantly to lean against the wall opposite the hospital door, trying to see through the window.  
  
"There now," said Professor Dumbledore mildly, "why don't you start telling us what happened. What were you doing out in the gardens?"  
  
Ron cleared his throat as Hermione blushed faintly. Harry noticed that Hagrid's eyes were twinkling, but if he was smiling it was hidden behind his hand. "Well, sir, we just went out for some fresh air and were on our way back inside when that thing attacked us. It came out of nowhere."  
  
Dumbledore rubbed his chin. "I see. And you say your spells didn't work on it?"  
  
"That's right," said Harry grimly. "They all wore off after a few seconds, except Ginny's disarming spell. That's how Ron got the sword." His eyes flicked back toward the hospital door. "And how she got hurt," he added darkly.  
  
"But obviously you managed to stop it somehow," interjected Professor McGonagall.   
  
Hermione nodded. "Harry, Ginny, and I all did the Total Body Bind at the same time while Ron was holding it off with the sword. That finally stopped it, and then Harry used the Diffindo spell just as you all arrived."  
  
"Yes," said Dumbledore, "very effective, that one." He looked at Harry again. "And you think this knight was the suit of arms from the North corridor?"  
  
"Well, we recognized the sword and the battle axe," Harry nodded. Suddenly he realized that he might have been a bit too hasty to destroy an expensive piece of decor. "Um, maybe I shouldn't have used that last spell," he said guiltily. "Can you replace it?"   
  
Dumbledore waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind about that. The important thing is that none of you were hurt too badly." He looked around at them all. "Now, does anyone have any idea why you might have been attacked?"  
  
It looked like Ron was about to say something, but Hermione elbowed him and he closed his mouth quickly. Harry turned swiftly to Colin. "Colin, did you see anyone else out in the gardens where we were attacked?"   
  
Colin shook his head. "No, just the four of you. But it was pretty dark in that far corner."  
  
Professor McGonagall looked at him suddenly. "And what were you doing out there, Mr. Creevey?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, me?" Colin stuttered. "I was just doing a favor for Neville. He and Parvati wanted a picture by the rose bushes. I was about to go back inside when I heard a big racket and went to see what it was." He turned to Ron with a grin. "When I saw you swordfighting a big knight with a battle axe, I didn't think it was real. I thought you were trying to impress Hermione or something."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened and Ron's ears went pink. "I would never!" he sputtered indignantly, looking frantically around at all their faces.  
  
"Well, it was pretty impressive," said Hermione quietly. Ron looked surprised, but not displeased.  
  
"Yes, well," Dumbledore broke in with a discreet cough, "we will of course be investigating this matter, and we expect you to come straight to us if you remember anything else that might help us find the person responsible." The Headmaster's pale blue eyes flickered over each one of them again. "You are certain there is nothing else you can tell us?"  
  
Harry knew they were all thinking the same thing, but without any proof it would only look like a personal vendetta against Malfoy. He shook his head.  
  
Dumbledore straightened and motioned to McGonagall and Hagrid. "Very well," he said. "We must get back to the Ball and explain what happened to the other students. You may stay until Ginny wakes up, and then I suggest you all go directly to bed. You've had more than enough excitement for one night." With a last smile he turned and strode off down the hall with McGonagall.   
  
Hagrid held back to have a word with Harry. "Are yeh all right?" the giant put his hand on Harry's shoulder.   
  
"*I'm* fine," Harry answered, looking again towards the door.   
  
Hagrid smiled. "Yer friend Ginny is very brave," he said, "jus' like her brother." His black eyes darted towards Ron, who had both arms around Hermione and her head on his shoulder. "You four are lucky ter have each other." He smiled again and followed the other professors.  
  
Just then the hospital door opened and Harry leaped forward. Hermione, Colin, and the Weasleys crowded behind him, but Madam Pomfrey blocked them firmly.  
  
"This will be a short visit," she informed them in a stern voice, looking even more harried than usual. "After which you will all go straight to bed. Miss Weasley's had five ribs healed and she needs to rest. And so do you," she added shrilly as Harry and the others pushed past her.  
  
Ginny was propped up in bed, looking slightly rumpled but much less pale than before. She seemed a little embarrassed by the attention as everyone huddled around her anxiously.  
  
"How do you feel, Ginny?" Harry asked first.  
  
"Much better," Ginny smiled. "Madam Pomfrey says I don't have to stay overnight, as long as I promise to--"  
  
"--go straight to bed," they all finished at once, rolling their eyes. Ginny nodded.  
  
"Darn," George sighed tragically. "It would have been the perfect time to use that Get Well toilet seat we've been saving."  
  
Madam Pomfrey, bustling over just then, was hardly amused. "All right, that's enough out of you. Let me see the patient one more time before you all go back to your dorms." Harry gathered from her tone that she meant them to do so very soon.   
  
Fred turned to Ron. "We're going to send an owl to Mum and Dad, now that we know Ginny's okay."  
  
"And we better go find Katie and Angelina," added George, "so they don't think we ditched them."  
  
"Oh, no!" Colin seemed to remember his date as well. "I have to go, too. 'Bye, Ginny! I'm glad you're okay!" He followed the twins out the door, leaving Ron, Hermione, and Harry to wait while Madam Pomfrey fussed over Ginny.  
  
Never one to beat around the bush, Ron faced them questioningly. "So, how are we going to prove it was Malfoy?"   
  
Harry scowled. "I don't know. I sort of destroyed our only evidence."  
  
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment, then her eyes lit up and she turned to him excitedly. "Maybe not. I have an idea." She grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him towards the door. "Stay with Ginny, Harry. We'll meet you back in the common room." Ron looked clueless, but he shrugged and disappeared into the hall after her.  
  
Harry turned back to the bed with a sigh. Madam Pomfrey was fluttering about in her usual agitated fashion, apparently disappointed to find no reason her patient should stay any longer. "All right, Miss Weasley, you may go now," she said at last. "But under no circumstances are you to return to the Ball." She turned a suspicious gaze on Harry. "Potter, I expect I may trust you to see Miss Weasley directly back to her dorm?"  
  
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Harry replied quickly, "thank you." He helped Ginny down from the bed and steered her toward the door before the over-zealous nurse could change her mind.  
  
"Whew!" Ginny pulled a face once they were safely outside in the hall. "I thought I'd never get out of there."  
  
Harry chuckled, remembering how many times he had felt the exact same way, and reached out to pluck a stray sprig of holly from Ginny's hair. She blushed and self-consciously put a hand to her head.  
  
"I must look an awful sight," she said, trying to smooth her wrinkled and dirt-smudged dress robes. Her upswept hair had come loose in places to dangle in copper ringlets around her face, with bits of holly poking haphazardly from the remaining coils.   
  
Harry felt as though he'd just swallowed the golden snitch. He took Ginny's hand gently and pulled it away from her hair. "You're very lucky, you know," he told her seriously. "You could have been killed."  
  
"We all could have," she pointed out.  
  
"I know," Harry agreed, "if not for you." He reached for her other hand and waited nervously for her to meet his gaze. It was almost funny, he thought, the famous Harry Potter reduced to a blushing idiot by the mere thought of what he was about to say. But Ginny's questioning eyes were searching his face, and Harry knew he had to take this chance. He opened his mouth at last, and the words came tumbling out in a rush.  
  
"Ginny, I've been taking you for granted, and I'm sorry," he said ashamedly. "It shouldn't have taken something like this to make me realize how lucky I am to have you for a friend."   
  
Ginny was looking up at him with a strange expression he couldn't read. "I will always be your friend, Harry," she said softly, almost in a whisper. Her voice sounded odd, strained somehow.  
  
"Ginny, I--" Harry wanted to tell her about the awful tightening in his chest he had felt when the knight struck her, or the way his knees were trembling as he stood before her now, but his brain refused to form the words. He stared down at her dumbly, acutely aware of the warmth of her small hands swallowed in his. Ginny had dropped her gaze, but Harry could see a faint flush creeping up her cheeks. He took a deep breath and tried again. "Ginny, I don't want your friendship."  
  
She looked up at him sharply, her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "But..." Her lower lip trembled and a solitary tear glistened on the end of her lashes. Harry watched it fall and slide down her cheek.   
  
"I want more than that." He wiped the tear away gently with a swipe of his thumb. "I think I'm in love with you, Ginny." There, he had said it. He felt the hot rush of blood to his face as Ginny blanched and gaped up at him in shock, but Harry continued breathlessly before he could lose his nerve. "I think I have been for a long time. I just didn't know it until tonight. Ginny," he clasped her hands more tightly, "when I saw you get hurt I felt how horrible it would be to lose you, and I realized how stupid I've been. Can you forgive me?" Harry held his breath anxiously.  
  
For answer Ginny threw herself into his arms, sobbing into the front of his dress robes. "*Oh, Harry*!" She clung to him tightly, shaking all over. "Of course I forgive you!"  
  
Harry felt as if his heart were trying to escape from his chest. He pulled Ginny closer and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. Her sobs were subsiding, and she drew back to give him a watery smile, her cheeks wet with the traces of her tears. Without another thought Harry cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.  
  
As neither of them had ever kissed anyone before Harry would have expected an awkward and clumsy first attempt, but the effect was just the opposite. When they parted breathlessly a moment later Ginny's eyes were moist with fresh tears, and she looked up at him in amazement. "I love you, Harry Potter," she whispered, and Harry was certain his chest was going to explode. As their lips met for the second time his arms tightened around her with the conviction that she would never leave them again.  
  
  
  
Authors' Note: Okay, we hope that was romantic enough for all of you! Stay tuned for the next part, when the plot will actually make an appearance!  
  



	8. The Snake in the Grass

Disclaimer: You know we own nothing.  
  
Authors' Note: On a random side note, all you Ron fans out there MUST go see Billy Elliot. Besides the fact that it's a great movie starring the actress who will play Molly Weasley (she is SO Molly), the Billy kid IS Ron at age 14. His hair isn't red, but everything else is better than perfect. If you see this movie and don't fall in love with him, you have no feeling bone in your body! Oh, and all R/H fans watch out for the pillow fight scene-our Hermione ought to try this method. evil grin Anyway, on to the story...  
  
  
Chapter 8: The Snake in the Grass   
  
Harry had to admit that it took them a good deal longer than perhaps was necessary to walk back to the common room, and when they stepped through the portrait hole together Ron and Hermione were already there. Only they didn't seem overly perturbed about the long wait.  
  
"Oh, there you are!" said Hermione briskly, trying to find a discrete way to smooth her disheveled hair. Harry pretended not to notice her and Ron's blush.  
  
"Sorry it took us so long," he said quickly, "but you know Madam Pomfrey." Harry gave a light chuckle.  
  
Ron was eyeing his sister beadily. "That's not why you're late," he said slowly, one eyebrow raised in accusation. "Come on, Harry, how many wardrobes did you two stop in on the way?"  
  
"Ron!" Ginny went scarlet.  
  
"What?!" Harry sputtered. "We didn't--I would never--" Well, he broke off, that wasn't entirely true. He and Ginny exchanged a fearful glance before Harry realized that Ron wasn't upset. Actually, his two best friends were both laughing.  
  
"And you thought *we* were slow!" said Hermione, rolling her eyes.  
  
Harry was inclined to take offense at that last remark, but he contented himself with flopping onto the couch and pulling Ginny into his lap instead. She kissed his cheek happily and snuggled up against his shoulder. "All right," said Harry, somewhat reluctant to move on to the more serious issue at hand, "what did you two find out?"   
  
Hermione leaned forward to pick something up off the table as Ron sat up straighter. "Remember how I thought I heard something in the bushes right before we were attacked?" Harry nodded. "Well, the knight came at us from the opposite direction, so it must have been the person responsible for the attack watching us."  
  
"But we never saw anyone else there," protested Ginny.  
  
"That's right." Hermione's eyebrow lifted meaningfully. "*We* didn't," she said, "but there was something else there that did." She looked hopefully at their blank expressions. "*Colin's camera*? Honestly, you lot are dense!" Hermione held out the photos in exasperation. "We got Colin to develop these just now."  
  
"You mean he got the culprit on film?" asked Harry in amazement, reaching out to examine the photos. Hermione nodded triumphantly.  
  
"Caught the little snake red-handed, in the far corner behind that bush," Ron pointed.  
  
Harry and Ginny bent over the first picture. In the center of the frame the miniature version of Ron slashed savagely at the knight's battle axe while Hermione hurled a bronze statuette at its head. The tiny Harry and Ginny figures were just visible off to one side, huddled in the shadows. But what drew Harry's gaze was a half-hidden yet unmistakable figure lurking behind the hedge in the far background of the photograph.  
  
"Malfoy!" gasped Ginny.  
  
Harry said nothing. He was too relieved. He hadn't wanted to alarm the others, especially since Dumbledore hadn't mentioned it, but the possibility that the attack had been planned by Lord Voldemort or his followers had been in the back of Harry's mind all evening. Although an attack by Malfoy was certainly not a trivial matter, now Harry could see how irrational it had been to suspect something more sinister, considering the comparative ease with which the knight had been defeated. If serious Dark Magic had been used he doubted they would have come away with nothing more than a few broken ribs. Harry glanced at Ginny and his arm tightened instinctively around her as his relief turned swiftly to anger. Dark magic or not, Malfoy deserved a good thrashing for what he'd done.  
  
"That does it, then," he scowled. "Malfoy went too far this time. He is going to pay!" Harry turned to Hermione. "What's the worst possible hex we can do on him?"  
  
"Harry!" Hermione looked shocked. "We can't just attack him!"  
  
"Why not?" Harry persisted crossly. "If anyone deserves a good kick up the--"  
  
"*Harry!*" Ginny interrupted, shaking him by the shoulders. "You know you can't go around hexing other students. Why don't we just tell Dumbledore that it was Malfoy? He'd probably be suspended, at the very least," she reasoned calmly.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at her for a moment. They had gotten so used to *not* going to Dumbledore with their problems that this most obvious and rational solution hadn't even occurred to any of them.   
  
"Er," said Harry, blushing guiltily.   
  
"Fine," said Ron. "We'll just show Dumbledore the photo and he'll have to punish Malfoy." He leaned toward Harry and nudged him in the ribs. "But I think your way was more appealing," he whispered. Harry nodded darkly, picturing Malfoy covered in bruises, boils, and hex marks.  
  
"We still don't know how he did it, though," Hermione said thoughtfully. "It must have been a very complicated enchantment, especially since it could block other spells."  
  
"Malfoy probably got his father to do some Dark Magic for him," suggested Ron enthusiastically. Hermione arched an eyebrow at him. "The boy is evil, Hermione!" he insisted.  
  
"I know," she agreed, "but he's not stupid enough to try Dark Magic right under Dumbledore's nose, is he?" Hermione patted Ron's arm soothingly, and he gave a reluctant nod.  
  
"I guess not."  
  
"Well, I still have my doubts," muttered Harry under his breath. Hermione ignored him.  
  
"So how do we found out what spell he used?" Ginny broke in anxiously. "We don't even know where to start."  
  
Surprisingly, Hermione smiled. "Yes, we do," she beamed. "Remember those ingredients someone stole from Snape's office a few weeks ago? We thought Malfoy was just trying to frame Harry, but he must have been using them for a potion to enchant the knight!"  
  
"Of course!" Harry grinned back at her. "All we have to do is find a potion that calls for whatever was stolen."  
  
"Uh, there's just one problem with that," said Ron. "We don't know which ingredients were stolen."  
  
Hermione waved her hand impatiently. "Yes, we do. I wrote them down in my class notes for that day." She didn't appear to notice Ron's look of mingled disbelief and admiration as she continued excitedly, "We'll go to the library tomorrow and look up all the ingredients, then see which potions they have in common. It should be easy to narrow them down since we already know what the potion does. It'll be fun, like a jigsaw puzzle." Hermione smiled widely at them all.  
  
Ron shook his head in amazement. "Hermione, you're off your nut," he said, not quite managing to keep the affection out of his voice. She didn't even bother to glare at him.  
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged knowing smiles. "I suppose we should all go to bed, then," said Harry, "if we want to get an early start on the research tomorrow."  
  
"Good idea," said Hermione.  
  
Ron stood up to leave. "Well, goodnight, then." Hermione immediately followed suit.  
  
"Goodnight," chorused Harry and Ginny together, smiling at them. But Ron and Hermione remained standing by the fire. Harry looked at Ginny. Ron looked at Hermione. There was a long pause before Ron gave a pointed cough.  
  
"Right," said Harry, and he and Ginny suddenly became deeply absorbed in examining Colin's photographs a bit more closely. Ron seized this opportunity to pull Hermione closer for a quick goodnight kiss, and then she disappeared up the stairs to the girls' tower. Ron turned, walked swiftly to the opposite tower, and promptly tripped over the first three steps.  
  
Harry wasn't faring much better. When Ron's muffled curses had faded away, Ginny turned back to Harry with a smile, her enormous eyes soft in the firelight. He pinched himself. "Ouch!"  
  
"Harry? What's the matter?" Ginny's smile quickly became a concerned frown.   
  
Harry felt his face go red. "Nothing, I was just--never mind," he shook his head. Ginny looked perplexed, so to distract her he said the first thing that came to mind. "Ginny, would you like to dance?"  
  
"What? Here?" Ginny glanced around at the empty common room.   
  
Harry stood and pulled her up with him. "Well, since we were interrupted at the Ball we missed the last dance," he said with a grin, "and I happen to know it was going to be a waltz."  
  
Ginny laughed and stepped comfortably into their familiar dance hold. They twirled and turned in a silent waltz around the room before Harry brought them to a stop in front of the hearth. He pulled Ginny closer, bringing their clasped hands to rest over his heart as they swayed slowly by the fire.   
  
"Harry?" she murmured after a moment, lifting her head from his shoulder. "I had a really nice time with you tonight. Thank you for taking me to the Ball."   
  
Harry shook his head. "No, thank you, Ginny. And I'm sorry it didn't turn out exactly the way I planned."  
  
"You mean the part where we almost got killed by a rogue hall ornament?" Ginny's eyes twinkled merrily. "I don't know, I think it turned out for the best." She looked up at him meaningfully. "Don't you?"   
  
Harry had to grin, too, as he leaned down to answer her with a kiss. It struck him as incredibly ironic that Malfoy was responsible for his present happiness, and this humourous thought contributed even further to his high spirits. His smile broadened as he pulled away to look at Ginny. "Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked her. "Because if I didn't, you do. And it isn't just because of the robes," he added as she blushed and smoothed her skirt.  
  
"They are lovely, though," Ginny sighed. "I wish I knew who--" She broke off and peered up at Harry, who was smiling sheepishly. "It was you! Oh, Harry, I hoped it was you! Thank you!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him happily, and it was several minutes more before they could bring themselves to say goodnight and go to bed at last.  
  
  
Authors' Note: Okay, that was beyond cheesy. Sorry, we just got carried away with our own sappiness. We realize this fic is completely unrealistic, but dammit, we're tired of waiting till Book 7 for everyone to get together, so just suspend disbelief for a while and surrender to the power of pointless foof! Buwahahahahahaha! Hope that was enough R/H coupleness for everyone--since this is mostly Harry's POV it's harder to show everything that they're doing. But you can all imagine whatever you like. ;)   
  



	9. The Dominus Potion

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to us. Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny belong to each other, respectively.  
  
Author's Note: Winky would like to offer her sincerest apologies for the extreme tardiness of this final installment. She was abandoned by inspiration and Dobby both, as well as swamped by that heinous spectre of despair, Real Life. Consequently this part is very rushed and a bit short, but Winky couldn't deal with it anymore. However, she did manage to find inspiration for an H/G fic and accompanying artwork which will hopefully make up for her incompetence on this story.   
  
Chapter 9: The Dominus Potion  
  
"Here's one!" Harry held up his finger triumphantly as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looked hopefully at him. "Oh, wait...Never mind-it only works on animals. Sorry," he shrugged. The others nodded dejectedly and bent over their books again. They had been in the library researching possible control spells for almost two hours without success. Harry had been through *The Magic of Getting Your Way,* *Potions of Persuasion,* and *In Control: How to Manipulate Your Friends and Family with Four Easy Spells,* and his head was beginning to spin with all the nice and not-so-nice ways of using magic to do your bidding. It was extremely frustrating and tiresome, Harry thought, and there were better things he could be doing. Especially since he was having trouble concentrating with Ginny sitting beside him. He was much more interested in the soft lock of hair falling across her cheek than in the book of *Perilous Potions* open before him.  
  
Harry sighed and bent down to retrieve the quill that had slipped from his fingers during his wistful reverie. In spite of his low spirits, he grinned at the sight of Ron and Hermione's interlaced hands hidden below the table and decided that perhaps their research session wouldn't be a total loss after all. Ginny flashed him a brief smile as he straightened and moved his chair closer to hers, and Harry knew she wouldn't mind if he followed Ron's example. With a sly grin he turned back to his book, simultaneously inching his fingers towards Ginny's. She quickly cottoned on to his intentions and cocked an eyebrow towards the pile of books still waiting to be skimmed, but smiled and squeezed his hand nonetheless, and Harry returned to his task with renewed enthusiasm.  
  
Suddenly the silence was broken by a loud cackle. "Ha ha!" Ron pointed to a page of the book he was reading. "Wouldn't that be fun to try on Malfoy?"  
  
Harry grinned, imagining the sallow-faced Slytherin prancing around the dungeon in a tutu and tights like the unfortunate wizard in the picture. If only.  
  
"Aha!" Hermione's victorious cry interrupted Harry's thoughts before they turned sinister. Everyone turned expectantly toward her, and she slid the large, dusty volume over in front of them with a satisfied smile. "There it is, at the top of page 261: the Dominus Potion."  
  
Harry pushed his glasses further up his nose and peered at the faded parchment. "The Dominus Potion," he read aloud. "First employed in 1364 by Ergog the Evil to command an army of trebuchets, the potion grants the power to control objects that have been animated for the spellcaster's use." With an excited glance at his friends, he quickly skimmed the rest of the description and sat back in his chair. "That's definitely the one," he told them. "See, there, at the bottom," he indicated with his quill, "it even talks about the ability to block some of the more common defensive spells, as long as they're weak enough."  
  
"Of course!" cried Hermione in the same exuberant voice she used when discussing house elf liberation. "That's to make sure the person using the spell won't lose control over the object too easily. Brilliant!"  
  
"Hermione," Ron began, grimacing at her, "that brilliant spell nearly got us all killed!"  
  
Hermione sighed. "I know," she admitted, "but it is an impressive bit of magic, don't you think?"  
  
"Malfoy obviously thought so," said Harry with a scowl. "I bet he figured no one else would know about such an old spell and he'd be able to get away with it."  
  
Ginny huffed loudly. "Well, he figured wrong." She stood up and looked round the table. "I think we should go find Dumbledore right now and tell him what we found out. Who's coming with me?"  
  
"Uh, I am," Harry got to his feet hastily. He was still getting used to seeing Ginny show some of the famous Weasley temper, but he found he rather liked it.   
  
Ron and Hermione stood up as well. "We'll all go," said Ron, and the four of them trooped over to Madame Pince's desk. A few minutes later they were standing with their newfound evidence in front of the statue that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office.   
  
"Um, Harry?" Ginny said uncertainly, "How do we get up to his office if we don't know the password?"  
  
Harry looked sheepish. He hadn't quite gotten that far. Somehow Dumbledore had always seemed to know when Harry needed to see him. "Well-"  
  
"Looking for me?"  
  
The four students turned at the sound of the Headmaster's voice to see him smiling broadly at them all and holding a half-finished slice of toast in one hand.   
  
"Oh, yes, Professor," Harry stepped forward. "We've just been in the library-"  
  
"The library at this hour?" Dumbledore interrupted with a wink at Hermione. "I hope you didn't miss breakfast." He shook a stray crumb from his beard and brandished the toast with a flourish. "The apricot jam was positively delightful this morning."  
  
Harry tried to ignore the rumbling of his stomach and concentrate on the issue at hand. "Actually, Professor, we need to talk to you about what happened last night," he said, holding out the book from the library. Dumbledore's smile vanished, and he looked at the four of them seriously as Harry continued. "We think we found out something about the attack."  
  
"In that case," said Dumbledore, "come with me. We can talk in my office."   
  
  
*******  
  
"Well, that was...odd," remarked Hermione as she settled into a chair by the common room fire later that morning.  
  
"I know." Ron shook his head in confusion. "I thought for sure he'd suggest we feed Malfoy to the skrewts or something, but he didn't even seem very angry. I don't understand."  
  
Harry squinted thoughtfully. "I think I do," he ventured after a moment. "It's no secret Malfoy and I hate each other, but I think Dumbledore's been hoping we'd be able to work out our differences."  
  
"Ha!" Ron snorted. "And Snape will join the Royal Ballet!"  
  
Ginny chuckled at that mental image but quickly turned serious again. "I think Harry's right," she said. "Dumbledore seemed more disappointed than anything else. If he thought he could be a good influence on Malfoy while he was here away from his nasty father, this just shows how wrong he was."  
  
"Dumbledore did look sort of sad when he saw the photo," Hermione recalled. "Not surprised, though."  
  
Harry sighed. "Of course not-he's not stupid. Just...optimistic. I don't think he likes having to punish students."  
  
"Maybe not," Ron agreed, "but I reckon he could stand to make an exception for an evil prat like Malfoy."  
  
"Let's hope so," Hermione frowned. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."  
  
Harry nodded and stood up. "You're right. I think we've wasted enough of the morning on Malfoy." He pointed to the window, where snow was falling softly outside. "Who wants to go sledding?"  
  
After a much more enjoyable few hours outside in the fresh snow, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had almost forgotten about their talk with Dumbledore that morning. As they took their seats in the dining hall that evening, however, Ron pointed out that Malfoy was conspicuously absent. They were just beginning to speculate about his possible whereabouts when Dumbledore stood up from the head table and raised his hands for silence. Harry's eyes met Ginny's briefly before they both turned towards the front of the room.  
  
"Good evening, everyone," Dumbledore began. "Sorry as I am to put a damper on our festivities, I'm afraid I have an unfortunate announcement to make." He paused and let his glance sweep the four tables, nodding slightly at Harry. "As I'm sure all of you are aware by now, four students were attacked during the Yule Ball last night by an enchanted suit of armor. While no one was injured too badly, the person responsible for this attack must be held accountable for endangering the lives of fellow students. Consequently, the staff and I have decided that this student be suspended from Hogwarts for the remainder of the year."  
  
At this remark a low murmur ran through the hall, and many heads turned curiously toward the empty seat at the Slytherin table. Harry exchanged a hopeful glance with Ron and held his breath as Dumbledore continued, "After this suspension, the student may choose to return to Hogwarts next year, provided he has learned that true wizards never practice magic for the purpose of harming others."  
  
Ron's mouth fell open in astonishment, but Harry was not overly surprised. His gaze flickered towards Professor Snape, who sat staring moodily at his plate while Dumbledore spoke.  
  
"I know this may seem to some of you an insufficient punishment," he conceded with an understanding nod, "but I have always believed that most people can, and do, benefit from second chances if allowed to do so." Harry glanced at Snape again and saw that he was holding his left forearm, his expression unreadable. "That being the case," Dumbledore continued, "it is my fervent hope that this individual will return to Hogwarts next year with a new perspective, and that we can all benefit from this valuable lesson. That is all."  
  
"Wow," breathed Ginny as Dumbledore sat down and the Great Hall erupted with conversation. "He really *does* believe in second chances."  
  
"I told you," said Harry. "I just hope he's right about Malfoy learning from his mistakes."  
  
Ron smirked. "I doubt it. But at least we're rid of him for a while." He beamed round at them all with an uplifted expression. "Just think of it: five whole months without Malfoy!"  
  
"That will definitely be an improvement to this year," said Hermione emphatically. She grinned up at Ron and reached over to tweak his ear. "And we won't have to worry about you getting expelled for fighting anymore."  
  
"Hey!" he protested. "It only happened once! Or twice, if you count the Quidditch match first year..."  
  
Harry turned to Ginny with a smile as Ron proceeded to argue with Hermione about the number of fistfights he'd had with Malfoy. "Well," he said happily, "that's the second good thing to come out of all this."  
  
Ginny frowned. "What's the first?"  
  
"This," Harry answered, taking her hand and leaning over to give her a quick kiss before anyone noticed.  
  
Ginny smiled. "Thank you, Malfoy," she whispered with a giggle.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Again, Winky offers apologies for the lameness of that sappy ending. She promises to do better in the future.  
  



End file.
